Unnatural Love
by LiveBreatheVampires
Summary: Damon and Stefan Salvatore kidnap humans and sell them to other vampires as part of an agreement with Klaus. What happens when a certain brunette is the victim, and when rules are rules? FULL SUMMARY inside which is IMPORTANT to read. Rated Light M for Darker themes ch20 onwards.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: The major part of vampires want one human that they can call theirs. Klaus Mikaelson, the leader of the vampire species, decides to employ vampires that can kidnap humans for other vampires, selling them for a price. Damon and Stefan are now doing this job. The rules are simple:

No human could know about the existence of vampires until being sold

No human should be marked

No vampire could have an emotional or physical bond to the human kept captive until being sold.

Things were going well until a certain blue-eyed Salvatore with pride as his weakness fell for a weak, mortal girl.

* * *

**A/N** I know…Writing 4 stories at once now. But two of them will end soon, and I just had to get this out since I'm Amy, and being Amy means that I don't rest until I have what I've been thinking about written on this little word processor.

Please Review, tell me if I should continue.

Warnings: (Please read so you don't be disappointed!)

In this story, Katherine's dead. Details of how she died will be revealed later.

This story takes place about one hundred and fifty years after Katherine's death, in 2012.

Damon will be portrayed as a dark vampire who embraces his nature to the fullest. His pride is a major part of the story. Lust too.

The latter being said, this story won't contain lots of smut. You know me-My fics are rated T, with traces of smut ;P

Enjoy!

* * *

"The third disappearance this week," Elena sighed as she folded the paper neatly. Jenna, who was unsuccessfully trying to cook breakfast, stopped and turned to her niece.

"Oh God," She said, sitting next to Elena on the couch. "Who is it?"

"Not from Mystic Falls, thankfully," Elena sighed, "Aimee Bradley's disappearance was enough. This one's from Georgia…but again, a seventeen year old girl."

"I can't imagine what her parents are going through," Jenna mumbled, standing up again. God knows how much she cared for Elena and Jeremy, and how she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if something bad happened to them. She had already lost her sister and her brother-in-law in a car accident, and due to that, Jenna had to change from the girl that couldn't even keep a goldfish alive to a parent of two teenagers that lost their parents.

"Yeah," Elena said quietly, wincing when Jenna mentioned the word 'parents'. Her wounds were still not healed.

"Oh God, Elena, I'm…" Jenna started to say, realizing that she had unknowingly hurt her niece.

"It's fine, aunt Jenna," Elena muttered, "I have to go to school."

"You didn't even have breakfast yet!"

"I'll grab a sandwich from the grill on my way," She said dismissively, and in a flash, she was outside.

The cool air seemed to make her dizzy. The people around her were still offering her sympathy and though she loved that people cared about her and her parents, she didn't want to be the girl that lost her parents anymore. She wanted to be a normal girl. But she knew she couldn't, because a piece of her died in that car that went off the bridge, the night that her parents came to pick her up because she was too wasted to drive herself.

And since then, remorse and guilt settled in Elena's heart, making her feel lonely and abandoned from the world. Caroline and Bonnie, her two best friends, were there for her but Elena didn't make any effort to keep contact. She just wanted to be alone.

But now, September 26th, the day that another school term began, Elena had to leave her personal bubble, the bubble she created, and started to socialize again. She didn't use to be this girl. She used to be a cheerleader, a bubbly friend, and most of all, a kind, and caring woman.

However, Elena couldn't help herself. She made her way into the cemetery where she settled down on the cold, hard floor in front of her parents' grave, crying like she always did, her diary in her hand, however close to her heart. She said silent prayers, wiping the tears away.

She had been sitting there for ten minutes when she sensed that someone was watching her. Someone was studying every move that she was making, and she was suddenly feeling very uneasy. Elena stood up immediately, flinching back when she thought she saw an arm covered with a black, leathered sleeve. However, when she turned to look again, there was no one behind the bush.

Not trusting herself or anyone around her, Elena took her schoolbag and after saying silent goodbyes to her parents, she went for her first class.

A blue eyed man with raven black hair smirked behind the trees that were close to the Gilberts' graves.

* * *

"Elena, are you even listening?" Caroline sighed, clearly annoyed.

"I'm sorry, what?" Elena shook her head, as if she was trying to gain consciousness.

"I said that cheerleader forms are available again," Caroline mumbled, "Just get a parent to sign it for you and you can-" Caroline stopped dead when she realized what she just said. "God, Elena, I'm so sorry…"

Everyone just keeps reminding me of them, Elena thought, trying to stop the tears from falling. Her voice, however, cracked.

"Don't worry about it, Caroline."

"No, Elena, I am truly sorry."

"I know," Elena continued. "Look, I'm going to the ladies room, I'll meet you in a few."

"Elena…"

"Seriously, Caroline. It's just the bathroom. I'll be back."

Elena walked to the so called 'ladies room', or more 'hiding-from-people room', and stared into the mirror. The girl looking back at her was not her. She tried to arrange her hair and makeup as much as she could, then opened the tap to wash her hands.

But when she looked in the mirror again, she almost screamed. She could've sworn that there was a man with black hair behind her.

However, when she turned to check, there was no one. Her forehead glistening with perspiration, she grabbed the small bottle she was keeping with her at all times these past few months, and swallowed the pills in it with a few milliliters of water.

"Elena?" Caroline's voice echoed in her ear, and she was in Caroline's arms before she could react. The warm hug between the two best friends felt nice and comforting, and unable to hold any longer, Elena cried on Caroline's shoulder.

"I don't know if I can do this," Elena sobbed, "I don't know if I want to go to school anymore, and if I want to live anymore…"

"Shh, shh, Elena you don't know what you're saying," Caroline tightened her grip around her friend. "It's going to be okay, do you understand me?"

Elena didn't reply, but she still let herself be comforted.

* * *

"Seventeen years old, from Mystic Falls, very pretty," The blue eyed man was saying. "We'll get a good point or two if we sell her to a big headed vampire."

"Do you think we can have her here by tomorrow?" The other replied.

"I don't know, Stefan," The blue eyed man-Damon-said. "The girl's weak and fragile. You know how I always go for those. I've been stalking her, and I think she's pretty easy to control."

"Good," Stefan smirked. "Klaus would be pleased."

"Indeed," Damon smiled. "We knew what we were signing for when we accepted to do this job. Being Klaus's most trusted circle isn't an opportunity everyone has."

"You're right," Stefan shook his head, looking at his brother. "As long as we don't break the rules, Klaus trusts us. I mean, after all, we always gave his followers the best humans we found."

Damon sipped on his bourbon. "What I can't understand," Damon sighed, "Is this girl's appearance."

"What about it?"

"She looks exactly like Katherine, Damon."

"Well, let's hope for everyone's sake that she isn't that tough."

"I told you, she looks weak."

"First impressions are wrong sometimes," Stefan pointed out. "I'm not really in the mood to keep a human-Katherine chained or tied to a chair while I babysit."

Damon didn't say anything, but he couldn't help but smile a little at the thought of a little human Katherine under his care, even for just several days.

"What are you thinking?" Stefan asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Damon said. "Just about the girl."

"You can think all you want," He continued, setting his own glass down. "You know you can't touch the human. Kidnap, sell, party, do it all again the next day. And the following."

He walked towards the door. "Tell me if you need any help. Goodnight, brother."

* * *

The rest of the day passed agonizingly slow for Elena. Every minute felt like an hour, and half of her work was either incomplete or incorrect. Giving up after the fifth period, Elena decided to stop caring and let herself go with the flow at least until she gets settled down.

She now was in the Grill having a hamburger and fries when her ex-boyfriend Matt set a plate of chicken nuggets in front of her.

"I didn't order these," Elena commented dryly without realizing who the server was.

"I know, but you love them," Matt said, his voice gentle. Elena's face lit up when she heard his voice, and she stood up and embraced him.

"Thanks," She said, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back, even though she had hurt him badly he still believed in them. After all, it wasn't her fault that her parents died.

"You're welcome," Matt said, stroking her hair. "You know I'm your friend, Elena, and I'll always be here for you…so if you want to talk, or hang out…."

"Thank you," Elena smiled softly. "I appreciate that."

Matt looked at Mr. Cowell, his boss, and rolled his eyes. "Elena, I have to go. We'll talk later, okay?"

"Okay, Matt. Thanks."

* * *

"William," Damon greeted. "I see that Klaus really got you to like the idea of having your own human."

"Let's just call this an experiment," He said with a shrug. "I won't hesitate to kill her if I get bored."

Damon smirked. "She's yours, now, you can do whatever you want." He pointed at an unconscious blonde on the couch.

"What's her name?" William asked, turning the girl around to examine her.

"Angela, I think," Damon shrugged. "Don't worry…You'll get to know her soon enough."

The payment was done, and William and the unconscious blonde were gone in a minute. Leaning against the couch, Damon thought how wonderful things were going to work out the next day.

_Just what I need_, Damon mumbled. _She'll be here soon enough._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thank you for reviewing, alerting and favourites :)**

* * *

Elena's screams filled the entire Gilbert house. Jenna immediately blurred next to her niece, embracing her and holding her tightly.

"Shh, shh, Elena, it's just a dream," Jenna hugged her niece, caressing her tear-stained cheeks and kissing her forehead.

"Oh my God," Elena sobbed, "I can't…I…It happened again, the accident…"

"Elena, you're just in shock," Jenna explained. "The wounds haven't healed yet, that's all. You'll be okay, trust me…"

"Elena?" A half asleep Jeremy entered the room, to find his aunt and sister both weeping.

"Jeremy!" Elena cried, reaching out to hug her brother. "Don't leave me, okay? Just please, don't!"

* * *

"This can't go on," Jenna said, making a cup of coffee for Jeremy. "I can't just give her sleeping pills to sleep. I don't know why she's always reliving memories and having these nightmares…"

"I'm getting very worried about her," Jeremy said, his own voice cracking. "I lost my parents too, Aunt Jenna. But what Elena's going through…"

"I already talked to the doctor," Jenna mumbled, "He said that these things are normal in this kind of trauma. But I don't want to see her like this…"

"We all don't," Jeremy confirmed. "I talked to Bonnie, told her to keep an eye on her and help her a little…"

"Very thoughtful," Jenna said, "I'm sure Bonnie will help her."

"She's her best friend," Jeremy sighed, "And my girlfriend. I'm sure that she'll do everything in her power to help her."

Jenna wiped a few tears. "I'm so sorry, Jeremy."

"I know, so am I."

* * *

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Damon snarled, walking exactly on his brother ruthlessly feeding on a girl's delicate neck. With a growl, he blurred and grabbed the girl, feeding her his blood to heal her.

"I couldn't control myself," Stefan hissed, wiping the blood away with his hand.

"Yeah, and you know that if she's bitten already no one will take her," Damon scoffed, examining the girl's neck. "You're lucky you didn't bite her hard enough."

The poor girl, who was whimpering and almost paralyzed with fear, didn't even speak or move. Damon sighed, boring his eyes to hers, and in a minute, the girl fell for his compulsion, feeling suddenly relaxed.

"Go to sleep," He compelled her, and then turned to his brother. "We have to be careful, Stefan. This won't win us any points with Klaus."

Stefan shook his shoulders, throwing a cold look at Damon. "Whatever. I'm going to find a _real_ girl to drain."

Sighing deeply, Damon moved to the nearest seat, alone. His brother's blood condition was one of the things that made him accept the job. He knew that Klaus would kill Stefan if he didn't control himself, because Stefan was a threat to vampire exposure. They were living at a time where the Founding members were staking vampires ruthlessly. The Original family had originally prohibited human ownership by vampires since it was too much of a risk, but then Klaus decided to allow this to get vampires on his side. Because of this, Klaus hired his secret army of 'human smugglers' who kidnapped humans and sold them to vampires willing to pay. Klaus didn't need money, but payments were done by means of vampire blood that he truly needed for big intentions.

Damon sipped on his drink slowly, thinking about the second he had laid eyes on the precious brunette that lived in Mystic Falls, his own birthplace. He had been stalking her, obviously, but he felt that that girl was useful to him in a way or another_. Maybe it's because she looks like Katherine_, Damon thought_, who wouldn't pay to get a look-alike of that bitch as his own personal toy?_

It was going to be so easy to get her where he wanted. Smirking widely, Damon set the glass down.

* * *

The next morning, Elena woke up early, and she immediately started to write in her diary, her precious best friend. She had every secret written there, every thought and every nightmare that she had ever since her parents died.

But no, she wasn't going to become this person. She was going to try and be the old Elena, the Elena that was fun to hang out with, the Elena that everyone loved. She was going to start new, be someone she's not-no longer-and hope things just work out until someday it isn't hard to pretend anymore.

Throwing her diary away and putting on a pair of jeans and a leather jacket, Elena went downstairs and grabbed a coffee and apple. Jenna smiled at her niece, but didn't question her mood or behavior. Jeremy noticed something strange in Elena, but the latter simply said her goodbyes and made her way to the High School.

"Hey, Elena, how are you doing?" Bonnie reached out and hugged Elena. "Wasn't here yesterday, had lots of stuff to do," She sighed. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Elena smiled softly. "Thanks for everything you've done for us, Bonnie. My brother needed you, and you were there for him, and for me too. I know that Jeremy considered drugs... but you pulled him back on his feet."

"It's my duty and my pleasure, Elena."

They spent the first half of the day talking normally like they used to do. Caroline soon joined, and she started babbling about the school dance that was soon going to be held. Elena pretended that she's interested in the makeup she had to wear, and the type of hairstyle she had to do, but deep down, she wasn't even paying attention.

When they parted and evening came, Elena did what she liked to do most, going out for a little walk next to the small beach located in Mystic Falls. Even as a young girl, Elena seemed to find peace there. The smell of the sea and the stars shining in the black sky made her heart warm, and when every wave hit the shore Elena found herself smiling at the scene. If only things were that simple…

But then, Elena suddenly got the strange feeling of fear and uncertainty, and the feeling that she was being watched. She thought she saw shadows, and Elena panicked. These things were happening to her so much lately, thinking that she saw a raven-black haired man with blue eyes. He even appeared in most of her nightmares.

Elena shuddered at the thought of her last nightmare, where she had seen this man at the sight of the car accident in Wickery Bridge, but refusing to do anything to help.

Turning around to go home after these sudden uneasy feelings, Elena wrapped an arm around herself to keep herself warm at the sudden temperature change. Her eyes widened when she saw fog, and a crow.

Elena wasn't a believer, but crows freaked her out. She associated them with death, and since there was fog involved, it wasn't a good combination. She found herself running before she could barely think.

Looking around her frequently to see if there was something or someone following her, Elena stopped to catch her breath.

It was then that Elena let out a bloodcurdling scream when someone grabbed her from around the waist.

* * *

Damon laughed at the girl's struggles to get free. But he kept his firm grip on her slim waist, before tightening his grip on her to the point of unconsciousness. The girl slumped right into his arms, and Damon smirked, examining her weak form.

"Elena Gilbert," He muttered to himself. "I finally got my hands on you."

Locking her hands around his neck, Damon carried her to his car and strapped her in the middleseat, tying her hands so that she didn't get a stupid idea of running from him.

The house they were staying at wasn't that far from Mystic Falls, and since Damon was a fast driver, they were there in less than fifteen minutes.

Damon carried the girl inside, and Elena started to slowly gain consciousness, but it was very brief. All she could see were stairs, and she felt herself being carried by someone.

"Please," She gasped, but that was all she had the strength to say.

Putting the girl on the couch, Damon stared at her closely. She looked exactly like his Katherine. Exactly. Same olive skin, same body, same face…

"Oh God," Stefan's voice came in the room. "Is that the girl?"

"Yes," Damon said, not taking his eyes off her.

"You were right," Stefan muttered, "Klaus will so want to see her before we sell her."

"I don't plan on giving her up yet," Damon objected.

"What? You know we can't keep the humans for ourselves, Damon," Stefan shook his head, objectively.

"Think about it, Damon. This girl's a spitting image of the bitch everyone slept with and then hated. Do you realize what we've got here?" Damon smirked, turning the girl around so that he could trace her cheek. "We've got leverage. We can ask whatever we want for her, and they'll give it to us in exchange."

"What could we possibly want?" Stefan asked, confused. "What is of too much importance that you risk a war with Klaus?"

"Katherine back," Damon answered simply. "Bree told me there was another way of getting a vampire back to life. She didn't want to tell me, though."

"You never told me about this."

"I've been told recently," Damon said shortly. "Bree didn't want to risk it. It takes a certain level of magic. You know who the only vampires that can force witches to be their slaves are."

"The Originals," Stefan stated, his eyes wide. "Every witch fears them."

"A girl in exchange for Katherine? I'll say hell yes," Damon smiled. "But I don't want them to know…yet."

"Why?"

"A human Katherine, Stefan," Damon rolled his eyes. "Do you think you'll find someone like her everywhere?"

"Guess you're right," Stefan agreed. "She is rare."

"Good," Damon said, but then he turned serious. "However, brother, let me make myself clear. The girl is mine; I'm the one that found her and therefore she is my property. You know how I feel about sharing."

Stefan didn't say anything, and Damon gave him a cold look. "Do you understand?"

"Whatever you say, brother," Stefan continued with a smirk, turning away. "Goodnight, Damon."

"Goodnight," Damon muttered coldly. "As long as we're clear."

"Crystal."

Damon inspected the sleeping girl for the last time before picking her up and putting her in one of the beds in the many bedrooms the house had. Checking for any signs of vervain, he was glad to find that there weren't any.

He was about to leave the room when her voice, frightened and cracking, asked,

"Who are you?"

* * *

_That's chapter two. I wanted to get things straight to the point to avoid extra stuff and nonsense speech. The real story will start from Chapter 3 onwards. _

_Warning: Damon will be very OOC. He'll be more like Season 1 Damon._

_Please Review and tell me what you think, it's very important._


	3. Chapter 3

**Omg, thanks so much for your great reviews, they are really inspirational :)**

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**Please leave a review.**

* * *

Damon turned to the girl, who was sitting on the bed, shaking violently. He sighed deeply. This process was being repeated more times than he liked to admit, and his patience was running low. It was always the same questions: "who are you?" "Where am I?" and he was sick and tired. This Elena girl, though she wasn't like the others, was still getting on his nerves.

Using his human speed, he walked to the bed casually, and he could hear the girl's heart beating fast, her eyes wide and her body still shaking. She jerked back when she sensed his approach, because she couldn't quite see since there was no light at all.

"You're going to stop asking questions and sleep,"Damon compelled the girl, and then the latter yawned, falling asleep without hesitation. Damon smiled, pleased with his work. Humans that could be compelled were almost becoming extinct due to the precautions lots of secret anti-vampire foundations were taking, and one of the precautions he didn't really like was the vervain in the town's water supply.

But this girl could be compelled, and he planned to take advantage of this. He was sure that she'll bore him some day, and he could use his compulsion to give her up with no resistance.

He was about to leave the room but thought better of it. He sat down on her bed, running a hand through her silky brown hair, mesmerized by her existence. He couldn't even understand how he should feel and what he should do. There were parts of him that wanted to hurt the girl so badly, like Katherine did. He wanted to hurt her because he had never gotten the chance to hurt Katherine the way she had hurt him.

And then, there was a part of him that wanted to…well, not protect her, He would never bring his existence down like that. Vampires weren't meant to protect humans. What was the word, he thought, maybe keep her as his companion? Make her his for the taking? Something like that, he was sure. Nothing more.

His eyes filled with bloodlust when his hand found its way to her carotid artery, the soft flesh of her neck against his strong hands. But cursing silently, he ordered himself not to feed on her. Not that way and not that moment.

The girl stirred, but Damon didn't care. There was no way in hell she could wake up, not after his compulsion. He still remembered clearly the night that he first met her, and although it didn't mean anything to him, he still helped her in the end. And from that moment on, Damon had been struggling to find out why he helped her. He shouldn't care what happened to a measly human, after all, apart from her looks she was nothing special. She was just a normal seventeen year old girl, a teenager who, according to Damon's assumptions, had mood swings and wanted to claw everyone's face off when she was having a bad time. There was nothing worth saving, or was there?

Damon sighed deeply, covering the cold girl with a thicker blanket and going down to pour himself another drink.

* * *

Stefan returned at home early in the morning, with a girl in her early twenties. They both looked drunk out of their minds, and Damon could hear the flirty comments Stefan was making, and the girl's drunken laughs.

'You won't laugh tomorrow,' Damon said to himself, and before he could even finish the thought, he heard the girl scream. From where he was, he could see Stefan let himself transform to the blood sucking demon, and he could hear the girl trying to run away. Stefan seemed pleased; Damon knew how much Stefan loved every second of the hunt. It was a vampire's natural instinct, however it was also a ripper's hobby. Damon didn't move from where he was. He and his brother might have teamed up and he would still kill anyone that tries to harm his brother, but he still didn't want to have the bond they had in 1864, when they were humans. He did not want to repeat history with any girl, so Damon had warned Stefan that he wouldn't share any humans, even after he's done with them. Stefan seemed to agree, but with Elena…he still wasn't sure. After all, she was the identical twin of _their _ backstabbing ex girlfriend.

The screaming suddenly stopped, but Damon could hear Stefan's low growls, indicating that he was hungry. Damon suddenly became wary, and when he heard Stefan climbing up the stairs, he shot up from bed, sitting up immediately. Stefan wasn't going to his bedroom…

He flashed to Elena's room faster than a bolt of lightning. Stefan was in Elena's bedroom, his fangs still elongated, and he was brushing Elena's hair away from her neck. Elena was wide awake, and she was so afraid that she was almost paralyzed. Stefan had one strong hand on her mouth, not only keeping her from screaming but also cutting off her air. Damon felt his fangs extend in fury and before Stefan could lay a finger on her, he had him pinned to the next wall.

"What the hell?" Stefan growled, trying to fight Damon off.

"I told you, you do not get to touch her," Damon threatened, tightening his grip on Stefan's neck. "She is mine."

"I wasn't going to kill her," Stefan spat. "It wasn't about her. It was about the blood."

Damon let go of him. "Do not let me repeat this conversation, Stefan. You cannot come any closer to Elena. Not her blood and sure as hell not her body."

Stefan cursed, but disappeared from the room in an instant. Damon turned casually to the girl, who was sobbing silently now. He walked to her bed, and Elena jerked back, hugging her knees, still traumatized by everything that was going on. How could a man move that fast, and pin another man in a mere second?

When Damon sat next to her, he heard her sharp intake of breath. He reached out to tug a loose strand of hair behind her ear and she flinched.

"Please, don't hurt me," She begged, trying to wipe her tears, but more followed.

"Hmph," He simply commented, and even though she still couldn't see his face, she knew that he was looking at her like she was his personal toy.

"Look at me," He ordered when he sensed her looking down.

"No."

Damon swore loudly and then roughly grabbed Elena's chin. "When I say something, you have to obey," He growled, "Or I'll be happy to tear you up in little pieces."

"Okay, okay, please stop, you're hurting me," Elena whimpered.

Damon let go of her chin and he could see the imprints of his supernatural strength on her jaw and chin, and for a minute he almost felt sorry he didn't actually plan on hurting her like that yet.

She touched the forming bruises and more tears came out of her eyes. Good. She was even more scared of him now.

He sighed, and took her chin in his hands again, gently this time. Boring his eyes to hers, he compelled her to forget everything that happened that night.

* * *

"She's been missing all night, Sheriff Forbes," Jenna said, taking deep breaths. "I called all her friends. She wasn't with any of them…"

"Jenna, we'll find her," Elizabeth Forbes assured her. "I'll get people to search for her and I'll go investigate myself. But I can't file a missing person report yet. Not because I don't want to, but because I can't. But if after 36 hours she's still missing, I'll file the investigation report myself…."

"Thank you," Jenna said, tears forming in her eyes. "Her brother is searching for her too…"

"Good," Sheriff Forbes encouraged. "We will find her, Jenna."

She was about to leave, but then she turned back. "Jenna, I know that Elena was very sad lately…Do you think that she had a reason to run away?"

Jenna sighed. "It's been hard. But Elena would never do something like that, I know that…"

"It's okay, Jenna," Sheriff Forbes sensed her tensing. "It was just a question. It'll be okay."

* * *

Elena stirred, finding herself suddenly very sore. She yawned and stretched, until she suddenly realized that she didn't even remember how she got home.

Then, all of a sudden, she looked at the sheets that were keeping her warm, and at the surroundings. This place was not her room.

Where the hell was she?

Memories flashed back and she suddenly remembered that she had been on the beach. Yes, she was on the beach, and then someone had kidnapped her. But she couldn't remember anything else, she obviously must've woken up in some point or another, no? She must've put some resistance…

"I see you're finally awake," A voice said, and Elena's head shot up.

"Who are you?" Elena gasped, inspecting him with wide eyes.

"My name is Damon Salvatore," He said casually. "You must be Elena Gilbert."

"Y-Yes," The girl whimpered. "Where am I? What do you want with me?"

"Hmm, slow down tiger," Damon smirked. "First of all, you're far away from your beloved Mystic Falls, and that should be enough for now. Second, you do not want to know."

But Damon could barely finish his sentence. Elena had managed to run to the next door, aiming to get out of there as fast as possible. But Damon suddenly appeared behind her, slamming the door shut and pinning Elena to the door.

"Listen up, little girl," Damon groaned, pushing her to the door, causing Elena to yelp in pain as the material dug into her skin. His hands grabbed her forearms tightly and he shook her roughly to keep her still as she was aggressively trying to fight him off.

"Stop," Damon warned, "I don't want to hurt you, but I can if you don't co-operate."

Elena stopped trying to fight him off, not only because of the threat, but also due to the fact that more she struggled the more he was tightening his grip. She feared that her bones were going to snap.

When she stopped struggling, Damon loosened his grip on her and Elena tried to rub her sore arms, but Damon was pressed up so tightly to her that she could barely fit a hand between them.

He backed away a little, and his eyes burning, he said, "Don't ever do that again. Or I'll make sure that there are consequences…and that you'll_ remember _the consequences."

Elena nodded her head, still shaking.

"Good. Now that that is settled, I need to talk to you about the rules…" He smirked, loving the power he had over her. He loved when he was the one in control, the one that was feared and hated.

"First of all, you shall speak when I ask you t o," Damon said, circling her. "This house will be your home for a while and you can go whatever you want. However, you have to be in your bedroom by midnight."

"Why by midnight?"

"You're breaking my first rule, Elena," Damon said firmly, but there was a cocky teasing smile in his voice. "I do not owe you any explanations, but midnight's not a good time to wander by yourself in a house like this, anyway."

"Do we understand each other?" He asked when he realized that Elena didn't answer.

"Y-Yes."

"Good," Damon smirked, "As long as we're clear."

But by the time Damon left, Elena threw herself on the bed, bawling her eyes out. She felt so scared, and the man's eyes and black raven hair…It reminded her of something. She knew she had seen that man before, but there was something deeper than that.

No, she wouldn't stay there. She had to try to escape. She wouldn't let him make her his slave.

* * *

At about noon, Damon came in her room to find her lying on her back again. He had two plastic bags in his hands, and he tossed them easily at Elena.

"Here are some clothes," Damon said, his voice clear. "Oh, and I brought you something to eat."

When Elena saw the clothes, it took everything inside to stop her from crying. There were clothes enough for a lifetime, which meant that she was going to be held captive for quite a while.

She peeked into the brown bag that Damon brought to find a burger and fries.

"Are you going to eat that or not?" Damon asked annoyed.

"I'm not hungry."

"If you're planning to starve yourself to death you're mistaken," He threatened. "Now, be a good girl and eat your food."

With that, he left the room, and Elena seemed to remember what the man reminded her of.

Yes, this man reminded her of death.

* * *

**Please Review! Don't forget to like my page!**


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N had a hard time deciding what punishment should be, so thanks so much KeKe113 and cdaye8184-You both helped me ;D_

**This chapter is dedicated to you, Cdaye8184, thanks for your lovely reviews and your help on this chapter :'D Love you girl! Xxxx Check out her stories!**

**Warning: I think this chapter deserves a T+ Rating. **

* * *

The next morning Elena remained in bed all morning. She couldn't stand the idea of facing her captor. She preferred to stay in bed alone than another minute with him. She had never been scared of anyone the way she was scared of him.

Days started to pass and Elena quicky began to realize that staying in her room all the time wasn't helping. Damon had given her permission to wander around the house, after all, and sighing deeply, Elena put on a white tank top and jeans. She had to beg for answers…after all, it was her third day of being held captive….

"So you decided to join us," Damon smirked when he heard her climbing down the stairs. Elena froze, she had met the other captor once and he seemed ruthless and cold. Damon sensed her fear because he turned to see if Stefan was doing anything that wasn't appropriate, but besides staring at Elena the way he used to stare at Katherine, he wasn't doing anything wrong.

She slowly walked towards them, her face staring at the floor, then she managed to squeak out: "Can I have some coffee?"

"Water's hot," Damon said casually, not taking his eyes off her for a second, biting back a growl when Stefan's eyes moved from her face to her chest and her entire body. He cleared his throat angrily. "Get back to your room, Elena."

"You said that I can…"

"I know what I said. But now, I want you to go back to your room." He ordered her sternly.

Elena immediately complied, taking the cup of coffee and hurrying upstairs.

"What are you doing?" Stefan hissed, "What? Are you trying to hide her from me or something?"

Damon scoffed, downing a glass of bourbon.

"Whatever," Stefan growled, "I don't need replacements when I have the real things out there. Speaking of, Klaus wants us to bring new ones to the house."

"When?"

"This evening. He wants one from the founding families."

"The Founding families? Is he serious?" Damon sighed, shaking his head.

"That's what I thought, too," Stefan said, "Thankfully he didn't specify that it has to be Mystic Fall's founding families."

"That's something. I'm not in the mood to bring a Caroline Forbes here to sell." He twitched his eyebrows, Caroline had been his little play thing a few months before and if he was human he knew that he'd have to take at least a box of aspirin to soothe the headache...she talked too much.

"Hmph."

"So…work on the case tonight?"

"Sure," Stefan said casually. "What are you going to do about Elena?"

"Compel her to sleep or something," Damon shrugged. "She's not hard to control."

"You're compelling her?"

"If I didn't, she already knows our secret thanks to you." Damon set the glass down, shooting a glance to his brother. "We'll work on the case tonight."

* * *

The next few days were similar. Nothing changed. Damon and Stefan usually brought girls home and sold them to vampires, making sure Elena's asleep and that no vampire learns about her existence. A doppelganger could be the bargaining chip to everything, they could get anything they wanted if they traded her wisely.

Damon let Elena have a bit of control, and even though he was harsh and stern in his words and Elena was still deadly afraid of him, she was still more free. He let her out of her room and didn't lock her in regularly. Sometimes, he even let her out in the backyard to get some fresh air. Over all, she was being treated kindly, and for both his and Stefan's surprises, Damon ever once took advantage of her ability to be compelled.

Damon started to learn things about Elena, and the one thing he learnt about her instantly was that she loved being in control, and not in a bad way. She loved making decisions herself and she was scared that he will be the one to take that away from her. She never directly said those words, but Damon felt like he knew everything that girl thought. In the end, she was a strong and independent girl, and very determined. Damon liked his women fiery, but Elena…Elena was special. He couldn't even think about this…about what the hell he was going to do with her.

He was a vampire. Lust and possession for humans was normal. But he refused to interfere, not now. However, he knew that he would have her. She would be his. But then, in the same time, his heart was cold. He loved to be the hated one, the one in control, bossing her around like she was his pet. That was vampirism after all, to feel superior and strong…

* * *

It was late at night when Damon returned, drunk, after a busy night with one of the wasted girls in the Mystic Grill. Half asleep, he found himself on his bed before he could even take off his clothes. It was then that he heard a little noise coming from the stairs.

He blurred immediately, and bit his lip when he found Elena walking down the stairs.

"What are you doing here?" Damon hissed, his arms shooting forward to grip hers tightly.

"I was just going to the b-bathroom," the girl whimpered, but the increase of her heart rate showed that she was lying.

"You have an ensuite with your bedroom, Elena," Damon smirked, tugging a loose strand of hair behind her ears. "You're trying to escape…"

"No, please, I'm not…"

Oh yes, you are," He said circling her, "You are. What are we going to do about that, _Elena_?" His lips found their way to her ear. "What do you think I should do?"

"I'm sorry!" Elena begged, "I won't do it again."

Damon stopped, gripping her shoulders firmly. "I'm going to let this go this once… Do not try this again or there will be consequences."

Too scared to speak, Elena shook her head once. Her legs turning to jelly, she made her way to her room, shaking from the sudden adrenaline.

* * *

"I can't deal with this, Liz," Jenna wept. It was the middle of the night, and Sheriff Liz Forbes had just knocked on her door, telling her that they found Elena's bag on the beach.

"It had IDs, money…" Liz said, "She wouldn't just forget it, Jenna…"

"No, you can't do this," Jenna sobbed, "She isn't kidnapped, okay? Elena is a sweet girl, she never harmed anyone!"

"We know that, Jenna," Liz assured her. "We're doing everything we can. Caroline and Bonnie started their own search too…We're all doing everything we can. But this…this could take things to a different direction. If we're looking for a kidnapper, than we need your help."

"Anything…"

"Do you think there is someone that might want to hurt Elena? Someone from her father's past, for instance…"

Grayson was a doctor, Jenna thought. Revenge was sweet to some people.

"Not that I know of, though," Jenna mumbled. "But he _was_ a doctor."

Liz took a deep breath. "Thank you, Jenna. I'll keep you informed."

* * *

There was drunken laughter coming from downstairs, and Elena couldn't sleep. Curiosity finally got the best of her, and very quietly she moved swiftly down the stairs. She bit back a gasp when she saw Stefan holding a girl tightly in his arms, sucking from her neck hungrily, the girl screaming in sudden pain. Stefan's eyes were red.

She pressed herself against the wall, holding back a scream, but with the same fear she accidentally hit a vase that was in the middle of the stairs. It immediately broke to pieces and this got Stefan's attention on her. On instinct, Elena fled, heading directly to the front door which surprisingly was unlocked. She ran like hell, until Stefan appeared in front of her, holding her captive in his arms. In a minute, she was pinned underneath him, his weight falling on top of her roughly. He grabbed a handful of hair and was about to yank it hard when suddenly, Damon appeared, shoving Stefan out of the way.

"I'll deal with her," Damon growled, "She's my responsibility."

Elena shivered, still in her night clothes on the cold, snowy ground. Without warning, Damon yanked her up.

"I thought I made myself clear," He spat, tightening his grip around her.

"I'm sorry, I just…I didn't…what are…"

"No talking," Damon grabbed her around the waist. "When are you going to learn that you are nothing here? When are you going to learn that you're _not _in control?"

"I'm sorry, I won't do it again," Elena cried, tears in her eyes. "Don't hurt me, please, don't…"

"Shut up," Damon growled, and in a minute, he was carrying her up the stairs in a fast rapid movement.

"You've given me no choice, Elena," Damon said unapologetically, "You have to be shown that you're not in control. You have to be taught that you need to mind your own business, because I do not owe you any explanations."

Elena gasped when Damon suddenly threw her off, and she braced herself for the fall. But instead, she fell on a soft surface, and fear took over her when she realized she was in his bedroom, on his bed.

"Don't even think about moving," He growled, pinning her down with his own body.

"Let me go!" She roared, pounding against his chest.

But Damon ignored her pleas, and Elena saw him reach out to grab something from his drawer.

"Be still," He ordered.

"Please, don't hurt me…"

He grabbed her hands, and Elena could see that he had a thick piece of rope. He pulled her arms tighter, but Elena couldn't help but notice that his grip on her was still gentle and not violent.

In one swift movement, he tied her arms together tightly.

Tears streamed down her cheek as she waited to see what was going to happen to her. He could feel her stiffen as he whispered, "I'm doing this because you need to learn that I've given you some freedom already. You should learn to appreciate what you have, Elena. Tell me, what are you feeling right now?" He traced lazy circles on her stomach through the thin night-shirt she was wearing. "What are you feeling when you are being controlled by someone?"

"Scared," Elena wept, when she realized that he was waiting for an answer.

"Good," Damon reached out to stroke her cheek. "And now?"

He pushed her head to a side so that he could get better access to her neck. He kissed it softly. "You have no choice, no say in what's happening to you…" He smirked, moving his lips to her collarbone, his arms softly trailing her curves. He felt her tensing under his touch. "Do you think you should've been a better…companion?"

"Y-Yes," Elena sobbed. "Yes."

"Elena," He said slowly, "You belong to me now. You can do yourself a favor and stop thinking about going back. You earn privileges with me," Damon ran his finger along her bare arm slowly. "You lost the first privilege to be…'free'. You'll be locked in your room from now on, and I'll make sure that every window you have is surrounded by iron bars. You cannot leave the house, not even to the gardens. You'll be treated like a real slave."

"Please," Elena begged, "Don't."

"You brought this on yourself, Elena," He purred against her cheek. "If being treated as a slave sounds more appealing to you than being a…_guest _I don't mind at all."

As he said his speech, his hands were still roaming around her body, and Elena closed her eyes as he placed a kiss on the smooth column of her throat until he reached her chest. His hand played with her ear.

Elena felt tears gathering in her eyes as he ran a hand up her shirt, kissing her now bare stomach. She tried to fight him off, she refused to be played on like she was nothing, but he was too strong.

"Please, stop..." Elena whimpered, and he finally backed away.

"I hope that you learn to appreciate the things that you have here," Damon said casually. "Having to stay still for things you don't want hurts, doesn't it? But your stubbornness is what got you to this." He sighed deeply. "Next time, it will be a lot worse, I promise you."

He left the room. "Oh, and no food and water will be given to you tomorrow. That is also a privilege that you have lost."

* * *

Maybe I was too harsh with her, Damon told himself later. Maybe I shouldn't have scared her like that. He felt her stiffen when he climbed on top of her, he could only imagine the bad things that the girl was expecting him to do. But his intentions weren't to hurt her. Not yet. He just wanted her to be afraid, make her uncomfortable, make her know what her place is now and hurt her emotionally. Also, to make her realize that she was _only _his.

Damon returned to his bedroom where Elena was still tied to his bed, and there were traces of tears on her face. Her arms were turning red and he hissed at himself for losing it like that. Maybe he had taken it a bit too far after all…

Sighing, he untied her gently, rubbing her sore wrists that had ugly marks on them. Stroking her cheek softly, he couldn't help not to squeak out a little sorry.

And in the darkness, he could've sworn he heard Elena say a small 'thank you.'

* * *

**_I so hope it wasn't too dark…my intentions were to make Damon scare Elena and make her realize that she was being treated kindly, not as a slave. Now, she lost these privileges, and she doesn't have an ounce of freedom. Also, I wanted Damon to show Elena that he is kinda possessive of her…_**

**_God this story is hard to write, I hope I did good... Even though it wasn't smut, it took me a long time to write it perfectly :P_**

**_Please review!_**


	5. Chapter 5

A/N 11 reviews-woah, thank you! Keep 'em coming, I want to have a chapter with 12+ reviews so bad! :D

**This chapter is dedicated to KeKe113, check out her stories! :)**

* * *

When Elena woke up the next morning, her arms were sore. To her enormous surprise, she was untied, and when she blinked twice she realized that she was still in Damon's bedroom. Panic overwhelmed her as she scanned the room, but thankfully, Damon wasn't there. He had the decency to leave.

She was still afraid after the night's events. Sure, he didn't do anything that will permanently effect her, but she still closed her eyes when she remembered the panic she felt when she ended up played with by a man that she didn't even know. She didn't even know how far he was going to go, but at least, he didn't hurt her. She remembered the feather light kiss on the lips he had given her, and she shivered involuntarily.

She quickly realized that her body was refusing to move, she was suddenly very cold and she felt a large headache coming. She tried to snuggle into the blankets to keep herself warm but it didn't help much. Her night shirt was so thin.

Elena moved to open the door to get another blanket from her previous bedroom, but the door was locked. Apparently, Damon kept his promise and kept her locked in. Sighing in frustration Elena threw herself on the bed once more, closing her eyes and bracing herself for the worst that could happen that day.

* * *

"Damon," Stefan greeted his brother with a smirk, as well with a glass of blood.

"Morning, brother," Damon mumbled, accepting the glass and downing half of it in a mere second.

"Is the girl still alive?"

Damon shook his head. "I don't plan on killing her yet, I told you."

"What did you do to her, then?"

"I just scared her a little," Damon said shortly, showing Stefan that he doesn't want to talk about it.

"We can't keep her here anymore, Damon," Stefan said, "I think we better give her to Klaus…I don't know, trade her or something."

"Why? She's good here."

"Look, Damon. Tyler Lockwood informed me that Klaus is searching for a doppelganger." Elena's definitely a doppelganger. I don't want to risk being exposed by someone that we're keeping his human here. If we play it wise, we can give him the girl and get something-Katherine-in return."

"Do you think that he will get a witch to help us? What if he's not looking for _Katherine's _doppelganger? Maybe another doppelganger?"

"I don't see why not…we have to tell him that we're going to help him search for her. I don't want him to know she's staying with us before he agrees on reviving Katherine. And if the girl isn't the doppelganger he's searching for, he can still give her to someone…Who doesn't want a Katherine's look-a-like?"

"Sounds like a plan," Damon muttered. "But we need to think about it. We have to be careful."

"Fine," Stefan said, "We'll think about it. Klaus called, by the way. I have to go to meet him in his mansion to help him with some things…Klaus's always up to something. I'll be gone for at least three days. Also, he made it clear that there should be no more kidnappings for a while."

"Okay, fine," Damon said, "When are you going to leave?"

"Now," Stefan replied. "I'll see you later."

* * *

Three days alone with Elena.

No work, no Stefan, no vampires.

Just him and the girl.

He smirked, the corners of his mouth tugging upwards.

He blurred to his bedroom and unlocked the door. There, Elena Gilbert, was asleep, laying like a goddess on his bed. He couldn't help but smile a genuine smile at the sight. She stirred in her sleep, and then Damon saw her little doe eyes open, and then her eyes locked with his. He heard her sharp intake of breath and he saw her move back, and it was then that he saw how pale she looked and her forehead glistening with perspiration.

He walked slowly towards her, his attention fixed firmly on the sound of her heart beating. It was beating fast, and Damon felt guilt wash over him like a tsunami. Had he really scared her that much?

But he shrugged it off.

"What's wrong?" He asked her when he saw her pale face closely. "Are you sick?"

Elena nodded. "I don't feel so good."

"You probably caught a fever…going out in the snow wearing a thin nightshirt wasn't your brightest idea, Miss Gilbert."

He looked at her with a wide grin, but he quickly turned serious when he saw a big purple bruise on her shoulder. It seemed new.

"What happened to you?" He said, pointing at the bruise.

"Well, you can ask your friend Stefan," She spat out his name.

His knuckles turned white. "What did Stefan do to you?"

"Nothing. Forget it."

She was about to turn away when he turned her around to face him again.

"Elena. I'm not going to hurt you, you can tell me."

"He said that I'm not supposed to tell you or he'll kill me…" Tears formed in her eyes.

"No, he won't. I won't let him touch you."

"After you left, he came here," Elena said, "I don't know what I saw…It was dark, but he silenced me and told me to keep still. I tried to get away but I was tied…I don't know what he did to me, but all I felt was pain. In my neck."

Damon's jaw dropped in anger. His brother had bit the girl, after specifically telling him that he shouldn't touch her. How didn't he notice when he went to untie her?

"Turn around," He instructed her, and she bit her lip, suddenly afraid.

"I'm not going to hurt you," He promised her again. "I'm just going to check it out, okay? Can you trust me?"

Elena stared at him for a second, then she nodded her head, turning around. Damon examined Elena's neck, shoulder and back, and he bit back a profanity when he saw how marked she was.

He was going to make him pay. Nobody touched his human without getting away.

"Do they hurt?"

"A little," She admitted.

He raised, going in the kitchen to get her something to drink and some pills. He knew he wasn't supposed to do what he was going to do, but he made a cut into his wrist and poured some blood into the cranberry juice. He couldn't let her suffer.

He sighed, scolding himself for caring for a measly human in all of a sudden. If Klaus knew that he had given a human his blood, he'll be pissed. Because they couldn't have a bond with humans or care for them, especially humans that were to be given up. But in a sudden, Damon was having second thoughts about giving her up. He knew that Klaus would hurt Elena and maybe even kill her.

He blurred upstairs and gave her the glass. She looked at him with questioning eyes, because the day before he had threatened her that he won't give her food or drink.

He didn't comment, but he gestured for her to drink it. She downed it in one long gulp, her little eyes still fixed on his face.

"Thank you," She said softly.

"You're welcome," He mumbled quietly, sitting down next to her. "What my brother did to you was wrong. He shouldn't have hurt you like that."

"He's your _brother_?"

"Yes."

"Why did he do that to me? I've done nothing to him."

"I don't know, Elena." Oh yes, he knew, it was about Katherine. Everything was about Katherine. The next thing he knows, Stefan would be dreaming to sleep with her and then toss her around like garbage. No. Not Elena.

He hated his brother for going after her. He was sure that if this went on, he would take Elena somewhere else himself. As long as she's his, he was ready to do anything. But no, no one touched his human. And he would be the first one to drink her blood the real way, he would give her pleasure, not someone like his brother that would probably kill her if he drank too much.

Half consciously, Damon was tracing lazy circles on Elena's arm, and to both of their surprises, she didn't flinch away.

He pulled himself together quickly, though. He didn't want to give her control again, she would become the death of him if he gave her control. He knew stories about vampires protecting their humans, some even falling in love with them. He refused to let anything happen between him and Elena except longing and owning. He was a vampire. It would be unnatural love if something like that ever happened, and human owning was always nice…It didn't hurt to have a social companion.

Without warning, he got out of the bed. "I'm going downstairs. You can join me if you want." He left, leaving the door unlocked. He didn't have a reason to keep her locked up…Sure, it would hurt and annoy her, but he would be bored alone downstairs, hearing her movements. She might as well join him, and he could be entertained and keep an eye on her at the same time.

He was sipping his drink silently, secretly waiting for her to make an appearance. She did.

From where he was, he could see her slowly going down the stairs, dressed in a light blue dress, one that he had chosen for her himself when he brought her clothes. She was beautiful, and he swallowed back his own saliva, his attention fixed on his drink to avoid vulnerability.

She joined him on the table, and the thing he first heard was her stomach contract in hunger. She hadn't eaten in all day. He could see her blush, she hated feeling weak, obviously.

He sighed. "Come on. Eat something, I'm not going to starve you to death."

He pushed a packet of ready-made sandwiches towards her direction.

She smiled at him, and for a while, he thought that an angel was smiling at him. Because she looked like an angel, young, carefree and vulnerable, and breakable. He had to be careful with her.

There was a light knock on the door, and Damon stood up. "Get back to your room for a while, Elena."

She nodded, but immediately complied.

"Damon," A man said with a smirk. It was one of the regular vampire smugglers, those that bought humans very often.

"Hey, David," Damon said, "What brought you here?"

"The usual," David smirked, "Any new ones?"

"We're on a break for a while," He said, leaning back with a frown when David entered the house without warning. "No new humans."

"That's a pity," David said. "I drained the last one. She got on my nerves."

"Happens," Damon commented. "I'll let you know when there are new ones."

"Wait," David said, "Is that a human scent I smell around here? I can hear moving upstairs."

"There's no one here," Damon said dismissively.

But David ignored him and blurred upstairs. He stopped in front of Elena's bedroom, and the door was a little bit open.

"What are you doing?" David groaned when he saw the girl. "If Klaus catches you keeping the kidnapped humans for yourself, he'll kill you. You know the job-Kidnap, sell, do it again."

"I'm not keeping her," Damon objected. "She's for another vampire. I'm doing him a favor."

"Since when do you do favors?" David smirked, eyeing the girl. "Who would want to get rid of Katherine's doppelganger?" He eyed Damon. "Come on, Damon. How much?"

"How much what?"

"Blood. Money. Whatever you want to give to Klaus. I'll pay a good price for her."

"She's not going to be sold," Damon said sternly. "Not now."

"Very well, then. I'm sure Klaus will be happy to hear that Damon, the most trusted human-hater slash kidnapper, is keeping humans for himself. Humans which are meant to be sold."

"I don't think so," Damon said. "You'll be dead before you get a word out. I'm older than you, little boy."

"Don't test me, Damon."

"David, I suggest that you leave in peace."

"Give me the girl and I will."

"You're not getting her," Damon roared, pinning him to the nearest wall. "Get out of my house."

"I'll be back," David threatened, "Trust me."

But David didn't get to move. Because in a mere second, Damon's hand shot out to David's heart, ripping it out in one swift movement.

* * *

**Please leave a Review! Damon murdering his own kind for Elena-Interesting ;P**


	6. Chapter 6

A/N Omg, I totally loved all your reviews you're awesome guys, thank you.

**My target is to reach 100 or 100+ reviews by Chapter 10. Lately I had been always reaching 100 by Chapter 10 and it means the world to me, please, help me reach them…I would be disappointed so much if I don't :/**

**Thank you everyone and enjoy!**

* * *

Damon stared at the heart that he was holding, and for a moment he couldn't believe what he just did. Did he really kill a vampire? And what the hell was he doing, keeping Elena in the house?

He knew that Klaus would kill him if he caught him. The three rules Klaus had explained to them replayed in his head, "No human could know about the existence of vampires until being sold" "No human should be marked" "No vampire could have an emotional or physical bond to the human kept captive until being sold."

The first one…well, he had taken care of the first one. Elena didn't know anything about vampires, thanks to his compulsion. The second one…

He groaned. Stefan had bitten her more than once, but 'marking' was different. Marking was more intimate. It wasn't just about the blood when a vampire marked a human. The third rule was what was worrying him. Sure, he wouldn't physically abuse Elena, he wouldn't do anything to her that she didn't want to. It would be a cold day in hell indeed when he used compulsion to get a woman in his bed, he was sure of that. What he was worrying about was any type of bonding that could occur between them. He didn't feel anything for her, he was sure of that, but his wave of possessiveness for her came from somewhere.

Maybe it's just her blood, he thought, her scent was intoxicating. He needed to taste that blood soon. Or maybe because he was simply curious about her existence.

He shrugged the thoughts away, hurrying up and cleaning the mess before somebody would find out about the dead vampire. It was prohibited for a vampire to kill another vampire unless it was for self defense.

Damn rules, Damon thought. He remembered a time where Klaus was still lurking in the shadows. Then, he came in, in search for the doppelganger as he liked to call her. Because Klaus was a naturally-born hybrid, the only one of his existence. But he needed the doppelganger to be able to create more hybrids, in fear that he'll end up alone for all eternity.

And when Niklaus made the appearance, the world of the supernatural changed. Witches worked and worshipped him, vampires obeyed dutifully and so did werewolves. He had the power to end them all.

But Damon and Stefan were different. They didn't fear Klaus, and Klaus recognized their determination. He knew he could use Stefan's bloodlust as an ultimatum, and in a few months time, Klaus made Damon and Stefan his personal and most trusted kidnappers. What Klaus really needed was not money, but blood. He wanted vampire blood. Everything started with vampire blood, even being able to create armies.

Klaus had originally wanted to 'go out of the coffin' and expose the vampire race to humans. He dreamt of having humans bend down to the vampires' will and make humans slaves. But that would happen when he got the doppelganger, he always thought. He would be unstoppable, and he would inflict pain on others. That's what he wanted, Glory. Glory, and to be feared and hated by everyone because he wanted to invade Earth and get rid of the humans that did so much to him over the years. Yes, he had sworn a vendetta against all humans. That's why he went with the idea to still live in secrecy but kidnap young human girls for his vampires' amusements. And that's why he didn't want vampires killing other vampires, because he wanted to save vampires from being extinct. It had almost happened once.

And then, Damon was trusted. Because Damon was known to be cold and ruthless, a vampire that destroyed many lives. A vampire that lived his nature to the fullest, and who had pride as his weakness. He was too proud of being a vampire and he wouldn't go any less than being that.

Damon stopped thinking and continued to burn the vampire. He washed his hands and then he returned to Elena's bedroom. He found her on her desk, writing something. She didn't seem to notice him, she was just too alienated.

He sighed. The girl was truly special. He still couldn't understand how Stefan was able to bite her without him hearing her. Something in his heart told him that Stefan was up to no good. He remembered Stefan saying that he would do anything to get Katherine back. Horror sank in to Damon's features when he realized that Stefan could've been working behind his back and give Elena to Klaus. It was possible that he was biting her to give Klaus her blood little by little, to test if she really was the doppelganger or not.

Immediately, Damon blurred back to Elena's room and entered without knocking.

"I'm taking you away from here," He said sternly, moving until he was inches away from her face. "Hurry up and get dressed. Be ready in ten minutes."

Elena panicked. "Where are you taking me?"

"Don't ask questions," He snapped, "Just do what you're told or I'll make you."

Immediately, Elena scurried off, holding back tears. If there was any chance that they'd find her, it was getting low by the second. Changing houses in a span of days wasn't going to help.

When she was ready, she approached Damon slowly. He raised at the sight of her, drinking in her beauty, then he grabbed her shoulders gently and turned her around.

"What are you doing?" Elena gasped in fright when she saw blackness. He tied the blindfold against the back of her head firmly, but not too tight, and said, "I can't let you see where we're going…yet." He pressed his lips to her ear. "You don't have to worry, though. You're with me."

Elena shivered, but she had no choice at all. He took her hands gently in his, and guided her away, supporting her. Then, all of a sudden, he picked her up and Elena felt cold, fresh air realizing that they were outside.

"Will you behave or do I have to tie your hands?" Damon said in a deadly serious voice.

"I'll behave," Elena said, she wasn't feeling up to being tied up the entire trip for God knows how long.

"Fine then," Damon said, helping her get into the backseat. "I'm taking your word for it."

Half of what seemed like an eternity later, the car stopped.

Elena had fallen asleep and Damon went next to her, shaking her gently. She panicked when she saw the darkness, but then Damon untied the blindfold and drew a soothing circle on her cheek lightly.

"It's eleven pm, princess," He said with a smirk. "I think it's about time you get something to eat."

Elena nodded, letting him take off the blindfold completely and he opened the door for her.

The snack bar was about to close, but Damon's compulsion worked fine. Soon, they were served some pasta and he watched as Elena ate in silence while he toyed with his food. Why the hell was he acting human when he could sink his fangs into that delicious, delicate neck any minute?

Elena shifted uncomfortably when she realized that he had been watching her.

"How old are you, Elena?" He finally asked.

"Seventeen," She replied, her attention still fixed firmly on her plate.

He smiled. Seventeen. It's been so long since he had been seventeen…

"Finish your meal," He ordered her. "We have to keep going."

* * *

It was about 4 in the morning when Damon arrived to the mansion by the lake he owned. They were away from socialization, but the house was surrounded by a nice lake and a few minutes of walking away there were the falls that Damon loved. Even as a human, he would go to those Falls alone, where he had discovered a cave, and he would just lay there thinking about life and being simply at peace.

"We're here," He told Elena, who was now awake.

When he opened the door, Elena couldn't help but smile at the sight. The house was beautiful. It was big and creepy, but it was beyond beautiful. Damon secretly grinned as well when he saw her smiling.

"Is this your house?" She asked hesitantly.

He rolled his eyes. "No, I stole it."

Elena laughed for once.

"We'll be staying here for a while," Damon instructed her to sit down. "The old rules still apply. If you try to escape, there will be consequences."

"Yes…Damon," She swallowed thickly. "I know."

"Good," Damon's smug smile returned. "Now, I think you should get some sleep."

Elena nodded and he gestured for her to follow him. "I'll have your room settled by tomorrow. You're going to sleep here for today."

Elena nodded, it was useless to complain. She knew that now.

Damon didn't like that. He secretly liked it when she complained.

"Goodnight, Elena," He said in a soft voice, and he reached out for her, pressing a kiss on her cheek.

* * *

She was driving him crazy. Her heart beating with anticipation every time he was near wasn't letting him think straight. It was only making him want her more. Usually, Damon didn't have a problem into getting what he wanted, but with Elena, it was different. Elena wasn't a toy like the others, he couldn't just shove her away after he was done with her.

And he knew that Elena wanted him too. He remembered the way her heartbeat pounded hard whenever he touched her, hell even when he 'punished' her. She had wanted him.

But no, he would not bend down to her will, or his own will actually. Not yet. He wanted to make her believe that she's just a pet.

* * *

Elena wasn't doing much better, either. The skin on her face which he had just kissed was flushed hot. She couldn't control her own feelings anymore. He was getting slowly under her skin, with the ability to be protective and possessive and the ability to be dangerous and sweet at the same time. Elena knew that he was the perfect example of dangerous and seductive beauty.

Her body ached for his touch, for his comfort and hold, even though he was the one that made her suffer in the beginning.

She suddenly felt the bed crack a little and she realized Damon was there, getting settled down next to her. She calmed her heart down and pretended to be asleep as Damon laid down, his gaze on her. She felt him lightly caressing her bare arms, and then he did something she never thought he'd do, he locked his arms around her waist, pulling her tighter to him, burying his head in her hair.

"Goodnight, Elena," Was all that she heard him say.

* * *

Please leave a review! They are really appreciated.

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	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Thx for reviewing! Wrote this all in one go, ignore any mistakes but I HAD to get it out!**

* * *

Over the night, Damon had scooped Elena even closer to him. He simply liked having a warm body close to his, especially Elena's warm body. However, it wasn't actually a good night sleep for her, because her nightmares were constant throughout the night.

At about 3am, Damon had heard her scream, tears and sweat on her pretty face. She had been having nightmares-about him, for the record-that were torturing him too. He wanted to get inside her head and give her a nice dream, but something kept him from interfering. He didn't even have the nerve to gently talk to her or comfort her, knowing it was all about him, so Damon had just ignored her soft whimpers and pretended to be asleep.

Then, when Elena's breath steadied again, Damon had gently stroked her hair and his memory ran back to when he first really met her. He was the one that saved her from the car accident, he was the one that dove into the cold, violent water to get her. And then he became completely intrigued by the human Katherine in his arms. But his stubborn nature, his embracement to vampirism refused to let him accept the fact that he had saved a person. He didn't regret saving her, but by doing so, he had unwillingly shattered a piece of ice around his heart, allowing the human side to take over. And then, he had taken her to the hospital, compelling every nurse there to make sure that Elena lived, however compelling everyone to forget that he was there. For months he had spent time watching her, and the desire to make her his for the taking was growing stronger by each second. However, he made sure that no one-Especially Stefan-knew that he had saved the girl himself. No, that would make him less than a vampire. That was a shameful and embarrassing thing to say to other vampires.

Although at some point he did want to give the girl to Klaus to get Katherine back, the idea was slowly fading away. Because on a purely selfish level, he wanted her. He wanted to get to know her, he wanted to see beyond that external beauty. He had a chance with Katherine, but he never made it to her internal beauty since she didn't have any. Elena, though, was different. Elena was the perfect example of pure innocence.

And then, when he was suddenly seeing Elena as a person, and not as a toy, his vampire side took over, and when he got a whiff of her delicious looking neck, Damon's face immediately changed to that of a demon, and he had blurred away to town to get to the woman that lived in the streets. Yes, he believed that in every vampire there was the demon and the man fighting for dominance, and half of him, the man part, wanted to free Elena from the demon side. But on the same hand, the demon part of him wanted to turn off the feelings of the man, making Elena nothing more than a property and a meal.

He had returned home half drunk after the one night stand with that brunette. When he returned, he found that Elena was not in bed, and with his head pounding he was not up to touring the house or chase her, for that matter. But, his troubles were soon eased when he heard her coming out of a room in the first floor.

"Where have you been?" He barked when she went upstairs again.

"I was just getting myself something to d-drink," Elena stammered, her heart beating fast in her chest. "I didn't see you, I thought you were…"

"Shut up," Damon moaned angrily, and Elena smelled the alcohol when he opened his mouth. She instantly took a step back shakily.

"You're drunk," She accused.

"Yes. And I don't want you to preach about it," He continued, "Now, get back to bed. It's 4 am, Elena. I need to sleep."

"No," Elena shouted, "I'm not your fucking property. You don't get to tell me what to do anymore." She crossed her hands over her chest and made her way out the bedroom door, but Damon was behind her in a second. Elena didn't expect him to move so fast, and she remained frozen on the now-closed door.

Damon growled, forcefully turning her around so that her back hit the door with a low noise.

"Let me go," Elena screamed, pounding against his chest, but he didn't even move.

"Let me go!" Elena shouted again, this time panic in her voice when she realized that he was not feeling any pain at all.

"Stop it, Elena," Damon warned, "I'm not in the mood to play games with you. Get your ass back to sleep or you're going to regret it."

"You don't get to tell me what to do anymore!" Elena roared and she pounded against his chest again. This time, Damon caught her wrist in an iron grip, and then pinned her arms above her head.

"Stop struggling, I don't want to hurt you," Damon said in a whispered coo. "But I'll have to rethink that if you don't obey me."

Elena felt a tear run down her cheek, and she surrendered, not wanting to test how far he would be willing to go. She didn't want to get hurt because of her impetuosity.

Damon smirked. "See? It's a lot easier when you cooperate." He tucked a piece of wispy brown hair behind her ear. "Now, go to sleep, Elena."

Elena nodded, walking slowly towards the bed and getting under the warm covers. She was still sick and her head was pounding, and most importantly, she despised him.

After a few minutes, he joined her on the bed again. Elena quickly turned away from him, wanting to sleep on the floor rather than next to him. She wiped a tear of frustration away. "Why are you always crying?" Damon asked annoyed, turning her around-gently-for once.

"How could you do this to me?" Elena softly whimpered. "Why are you keeping me here?"

"You never answered my question."

"You never answered mine."

"I'm sorry, sweets, but that's not how it works. I ask you a question, and I expect you to answer me."

Elena surrendered. "Because I've been through hell lately." Elena sighed, her heart breaking. "I lost my parents in a car accident. No one knows how the hell I made it out. I just wish that I died and my parents lived."

"Why would you think that?" Damon asked Elena, genuinely wanting to understand why the beautiful woman in front of him would even think about such a thing.

"Because I'm not good enough," Elena replied truthfully. "I'm never good enough."

Damon didn't really understand her answer, but he accepted it anyway.

* * *

The rest of the days were basically the same. Sometimes he would eat with her and pretend that he was just a typical human. Elena usually kept to herself a lot, and when he gave her her own room, they almost lost any type of contact. Damon was finding it hard to remain human around her. He was feeling like a prisoner, he couldn't be himself anymore. Besides, he still wasn't even used to the idea that he was living with a woman that he couldn't touch. Actually, he could, but he wouldn't, because he wanted _her_ to chase _him. _

But that wasn't exactly going to happen anytime soon, and Damon was becoming rather depressed. He started to spend more nights outdoors than indoors, and the more blood-and sex-he had, the more it was difficult to control his lust around Elena. He wanted to sink his fangs into that delicate neck and drain her dry, but something in him, no, the _man _in him, didn't let him.

His stubbornness and pride didn't allow him to just act normal around her, to make her happy. He could, if he wanted to. He could take her out somewhere, he could give her a little freedom-again-but he didn't want to. On the other hand, keeping Elena locked in the house, and sometimes, when she got on his nerves-locked in her room- was not exactly making things better. Elena was usually quiet and distant all the time, and she was starting to remain in her room day and night, even when she wasn't locked in. She was always writing in her diary, a diary that he had given her himself after she had made the tiny request that she wanted a pen and some paper. She was also refusing any food he had given to her, and for that he was becoming worried and angry. She was losing too much weight, and her already small body started to look much weaker than it should be. Whenever he asked her why she wouldn't eat, she just simply stated that she wasn't feeling well and that she wasn't hungry.

"That's it," He stormed in one night, "You can't keep doing this to yourself, Elena. You can't just stay in here and not eat anything at all."

"Why? Is there somewhere else I can go to?"

Damon mentally cursed, but pulled himself together quickly. He tossed a bag at her. "Get dressed. We're going out."

"I don't want to g…"

"I wasn't asking for your approval," Damon hissed. "Now, get dressed. You have thirty minutes, I think it should be enough. Put something formal on."

He left, leaving the door unlocked.

Elena sighed, taking out a nice violet dress out of the bag. There were a couple of dresses to choose from, and they were all amazingly beautiful and expensive. She finally decided on a strapless glittered red dress and paired it with a pair of black high heels. She let her natural curls hang over her shoulders and she closed the door behind her, going downstairs to meet Damon. He was wearing a black buttoned shirt, very formal.

Damon's eyes scanned Elena from head to toe. She was wearing the dress he secretly hoped she'd wear, and it looked even more perfect on her than he had imagined. Her little curls were amazing, and her simple makeup didn't ruin her natural beauty. Damon had seen a lot of women in his life, and most of them were just common whores, but even the ones that looked innocent weren't like Elena. She was truly special.

"You look stunning," He complimented when she was finally next to him. She blushed but didn't say anything. "Shall we?" He said in that calm tone he rarely used with her.

Elena sighed internally, giving in. She accepted his hand and walked away without another word.

* * *

The trip to wherever they were going was long and silent. Elena spent most of the time staring outside the window, just content to see the nice green areas. She figured it'd be much easier for her if she enjoyed it while she could; after all he wasn't being mean to her.

She was too lost that she didn't even notice that they were there. Damon frowned, touching her shoulder lightly to have her attention.

"We're here," He announced, and Elena looked around her to see very nice surroundings. It was a small city but there were lots of green areas. She smiled, she had never went out of Mystic Falls in all her life.

"Do I have to repeat certain things?" Damon asked her seriously, "I'd be a tad pissed if I see people staring at us strangely. Will you behave?"

Elena nodded her head.

"I do hope so…Otherwise you'll never get out of that house. Do you understand?"

His voice was threatening and menacing and Elena shivered. "Yes, Damon," She choked out.

"Fine then. Come on," He grabbed her arm.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see," He said, a small smile tugging at his lips.

* * *

It was a nice, warm night. The stars were shining and the moon looked brighter-whiter-somehow. Apparently, Damon decided to take her to one of the finest restaurants in the city, it had excellent views of both the rural and urban areas. They ate the most expensive food and even talked a little, and if Elena didn't know better she'd found the setting romantic.

When the server asked them to order their food, he was very sweet and polite. He had the steak in some kind of barbecue sauce and Elena had oven baked chicken with lemon syrup, a dish she always wanted to try. They ate slowly and quietly, though at times they would glance at each other like a romantic couple, and Elena would blush due to his intense stare. Sometimes they'd mutter a word in general, about the food and the setting, but nothing more than that. Both were too stubborn, too...afraid.

Older couples were looking at their direction sweetly, because they looked perfect together. But Elena knew what the truth was, and they were far from a couple, though being right there made it feel otherwise. Still, the truth was always the truth.

Then, Damon had gently guided her to the dancefloor, and they danced slowly, their bodies swaying with the soft music. He was a pretty good dancer, and when his arms were set on her small hips, it took every ounce of self control she had to remain calm and not shiver.

"Having fun?" He breathed against her cheek.

"Yes," Elena said without a second thought. "Thank you."

The reflection of the moonlight on his bright blue eyes took Elena's breath away. She was unwillingly staring at him, and he was staring at her brown orbs. Neither of them moved, and the dance was suddenly forgotten.

And then Damon leaned in, and for a minute, Elena prepared herself for the kiss she felt coming. But for her surprise, and secretly disappointment, he aimed for her cheek and placed an open mouthed kiss there, his lips lingering there a few more minutes than necessary.

"Everyone's staring at us…" Elena blushed.

"Let them," Damon simply commented, turning her around. "You're a fast learner," He commented.

Elena nodded. "I used to love dancing."

"I don't see why you shouldn't now," Damon said seriously. "Ask me whatever you want…and I might grant you permission."

Elena nodded again. "Okay."

* * *

The rest of the night passed too quickly for Elena. She was having fun, and Damon seemed real and genuine in everything that he was doing. Elena couldn't help it…She knew that she was falling for him. She knew that her heart beat fast when he was near, and she knew how much she wanted him to kiss her.

Damon, on the other hand, was feeling human around her. The worst thing about it was that he didn't mind. He almost did want to feel human if it meant that he could spend nights like that with Elena.

He could feel the demon inside him offended by this, but Damon didn't care. Elena was slowly opening up to him, and he _liked _it. He never knew he would, but he did. He knew that it would be different now-He still didn't want to lose his vampire side, the side he embraced. But the fact that he was protecting her from his brother and breaking Klaus's rules for her showed that he cared more about her than just a toy or a pet. He knew that.

And if it was lust, than he would've already slept with her by now. But no, he wanted it to be real, he even regretted compelling her. In fact, he couldn't seem to compel her anymore, he also grew to love her stubborn nature.

Damon sighed. Things were getting harder by the second.

* * *

_Please review!_

_You see, I'm trying to make clear of Damon's problem. He obviously wants her, however he doesn't really know in what way, if it is just because she looks like Katherine, because of curiosity, lust…And there are two sides in Damon, the man and the 'demon' (vampire). The latter obviously wants darker things, but then the man is stronger than the two…for now. On the other hand, he thinks that if he ever feels something for a human (We saw that he is 'embarrassed' to say that he saved her) he is weak, so that will be a huge barrier._

_Just as a warning, things won't be easy as I made them look in this chapter. It's my first time kinda writing an angst story cause even though it's similar to the first few chapters of my story "His Vampire Heart" this one's harder cause there are a lot of emotions and people confused._

_**I was worried about the rating. In my opinion, T's good, what do you think though?**_

_**Pls review :)**_


	8. Chapter 8

A/N Sorry took me long to update-I had my birthday, exams are coming up…Oh God, so busy!

Pls review and like my facebook page (Link on profile)

* * *

Days were passing quickly. Elena was giving up, she knew that her chances to get free where minimizing by the second. Though Damon wasn't treating her badly, whenever she saw him her legs turned to jelly. He was unpredictable. At times, he gently talked to her, even offering her to buy her some things to keep her entertained. She didn't ask for anything, though. But then, at other times, he was cold and empty towards her, leaving her alone like some kind of abandoned animal.

Sometimes, he even scared her in ways that weren't natural. He was strong, and earlier, they had a disagreement. Elena had slapped him with all her strength, but he didn't even wince. Instead, he had gripped her arm in a bruising grip and forced her to her bedroom, where he locked her up for a few hours. She hated being controlled by him like that, in fact that's why they had the disagreement. She had yelled profanities at him when he told her that he wasn't going to let her go soon, that she belonged to him. He had lost his temper.

She was now looking at the purple bruise on her wrist, the bruise he had inflicted on her when he had harshly grabbed her wrist and dragged her to her bedroom. How could a man have the strength to leave a big purple mark on her wrist? He obviously wasn't intending to bruise her, yet his grip left its imprint.

It had been a while since she last saw him. He was spending days and nights outside.

"There's food in the kitchen," He had said, "Help yourself."

And she did. That was basically her life now. She would wake up, pour some coffee and maybe eat a yoghurt, then sometimes she watched some tv. Her heart swelled when she once saw the news and saw her picture there. Jenna was there, talking and begging people to inform the police if they saw Elena Gilbert-the seventeen year old girl that went missing unexpectedly.

Elena sighed, throwing herself on the bed again and closed her eyes, hoping to get some sleep.

* * *

"Damon…" Andie moaned when Damon kissed her neck hungrily, his fangs already coming out when he smelled the blood. Andie was the woman he used when he was bored or hungry. She was twenty four years old, a television reporter and she was crazy about him. No compulsion was needed to get her in his bed-Not that he had ever used compulsion to get a woman. He bit her neck, and Andie let out another moan, she was compelled to keep quiet. He sucked the life out of her, restoring his body to full health. He needed it. After all, Elena was driving him crazy. The worst part was that he couldn't do anything to make her behave. The girl was pretty determined, and although he could compel her to shut the hell up and behave, he didn't want to do that. That would make it too easy, and Damon liked his women fiery. He couldn't use other tactics with her, like he did with Andie, either. Andie had once melted because he brought her a small box of chocolates-Elena would probably burst out laughing, or slap him again. And again, he didn't want to be violent or too scary with her. It wasn't his intention to scare or hurt her yet. She amused him, he liked her fire. He wasn't going to make her a puppet like he had done with hundreds of women before, because that would make her a common girl. Damon did not want that, he wanted to get to know other sides of women.

"Damooon," Andie moaned again, and he felt her going limp in his arms. Damon sighed, letting his face transform to the human-friendly one and he threw her body on her bed, actually going through the trouble of cleaning the blood for her. She was already compelled beforehand to never expose his secret. He rummaged through her wardrobe hoping to find a scarf, and when he did, he tied it around her neck.

He casually went out the backdoor like nothing happened.

* * *

When he returned, Elena had apparently just woken up, because she was having a cup of coffee in front of the tv. Her hair was still tousled, but she was still too beautiful. Her beauty should be illegal, he thought, and he slowly entered the room. Elena sensed him and turned her head to his direction. He looked drunk.

"What are you doing here?" He asked indifferently,

"Watching tv," Elena said simply. "You said that I could watch anything I like."

"I know what I said," Damon sighed, he was actually half-drunk. After he was sustained, he usually turned for his glass of Bourbon. "But aren't you usually pouting in your bedroom or writing in your diary at this time?"

Elena bit her lip. "Coffee?" She asked after a while, trying to make light of the situation, and attempting to get away from him. He was scary when he was drunk.

"Sure, why not?" He threw himself on the couch and Elena scurried off in the kitchen, pouring a cup of coffee for Damon and bringing a light snack of cheese and crackers for herself.

"Here," She said, giving him the cup and sitting on the opposite side of the couch, far away from him as possible. He muttered a small thank you.

She fixed her eyes on the screen, she was planning to ignore him. She was actually enjoying the DVD she was watching, it was one of her favourite movies, and she wasn't planning to go to her bedroom just because he suddenly decided to make an appearance.

"What are you watching?" He asked curiously, he had gotten the DVDs for her a couple of days before, but he didn't even know what he got. What he did know, though, that they were a couple of chick-flicks he never intended to watch. Instead, he focused on watching _Elena. _

"A walk to remember," Elena said finally.

"Isn't that about that Christian girl and the popular kid story?" He asked, trying to make a civilized conversation.

She actually smiled. "Yes, it is."

She turned her attention back to the screen again, but she could feel Damon's gaze on her. It made her uncomfortable, and she twisted slightly. He ignored her, however and he still kept his gaze on her.

"What?" She finally asked.

"I admire you, Elena. You have fire inside you," He smirked, "Though you have the ability to act like a petulant child."

Elena gave him a cold look, but her breath caught in her throat when Damon suddenly moved next to her. He tugged a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Come on, Elena. You should be over it by now. You can't stay mad forever."

"Leave me alone, Damon," Elena's voice was determined, but he could still hear the fear.

"I don't want to do that," Damon said again, and he trailed a finger up and down her bare arm. "Come on, Elena, you know that you can't stay mad at me forever…" His voice was now seductive and very intimate next to her ear. Elena scooted away from him and jumped off the couch, but Damon grabbed her in one swift movement. She landed on his lap.

"Let go of me," She demanded.

But Damon increased his grip on her. His hand reached out to play with her hair and he inhaled her scent. It was making him hungry.

"Elena," He said, "You have no idea what you're doing to me."

Elena struggled to get free of his embrace but once again, he didn't let her.

"Let me go," She pleaded pitifully. "Please. I won't tell anyone, I swear, just please let me go."

"You're mine," He growled, "Why would I give away something that is mine?"

"I am not yours!" Elena exploded, "I am not a possession. I'm a person, and I refuse to let you think of me as something else."

"So naïve," He reached out to cup her cheek. "If you shut up and look around you, Elena, you'll see that I can rock your world. If you look around and stop acting childish, Elena, you might see that I can give you everything your heart desires. You know what you want deep down, Elena. You know _who _you want," He added, his eyes full of lust. His fingers trailed a path from her cheek to her neck. Elena found herself unable to move and there was a lump in her throat. She was letting him literally play with her. She hated that he was touching her with his criminal hands. He then stroked her hair away from her face and placed a light kiss on her cheek, before trailing a path of kisses down her neck and collarbone.

"Damon, please, stop," Elena pleaded, her eyes watering." Don't…I can't bear it."

He moved away from her when he saw her big eyes filled with tears. "I will have you, Elena, sooner or later."

* * *

Damon felt the urge to break something. He couldn't believe that he let his control slip away. Good, now she was even more scared that he would take advantage of her. She had begged him to stop and he had heard her heart beat fast.

He was tired and bored. He hated acting human around her. It wasn't his nature for God's sake. The demon inside of him wanted to take her and make her his, and his gums ached whenever he saw her. His fangs almost penetrated whenever she was near, whenever he had a whiff of her delicious scent. He just had something beautiful but out of reach, because he wanted to be the better man. Because vampires usually took whatever they wanted without remorse, but he was letting the man in him take control for a little while. Though, he had to be honest, he wasn't sure if he could control his bloodlust anymore.

His phone rang, and the name 'Stefan' showed up on the screen. Baby bro had just returned home, then.

"Hello, brother," Damon said in his usual cocky voice.

"What do you think you're doing?" Stefan hissed, "Where's the girl?"

"With me. Away from you," Damon said in a chiding voice. "Why, is there a problem?"

"Are you kidding me?" Stefan spat, "Get her back here. What about Klaus? And Katherine? And the job?"

"I have no intention of giving Elena to Klaus, Stefan," Damon said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm busy."

"Damon, bring the girl back or I swear to God I'll find her and rip her to shreds-In front of you. You know me-It's nothing I haven't done before."

"Touch her and you'll regret it," Damon spat, ending the phone call right away.

* * *

Stefan was standing still, phone in his hand.

"Your brother's behavior's not acceptable," The man spoke with perfect British accent. "You know the rules, Stefan."

Klaus cleared his throat. "And why did you choose to betray your brother and tell me about the existence of the girl? Surely you must have an aim?"

"What I want," Stefan said, "Is Katherine back."

"And how am I supposed to help in that matter?"

"Damon is not going to give you the girl. Believe me, I know my brother. When he's possessive of something, it isn't easy…" Stefan chose his words carefully. "However, I'll help you get the girl. In return, I want you to talk to the witches. I'm sure they'll do everything in their power to get Katherine back if they do it for _you._"

"Sounds reasonable," Klaus commented, "But you do know that Damon's going to be punished for his disobedience, right?"

"I know," Stefan said emotionless. "But Klaus, my loyalty to you is bigger than the loyalty towards my brother. That loyalty we had ended in 1864. That's why I couldn't bear the idea of not telling you that the doppelganger exists."

"Yes," Klaus continued, "And her blood seems to work with my hybrids."

Stefan's memory rushed back when he had compelled Elena and took her blood to Klaus. Her blood healed the dying hybrids immediately, and Klaus had demanded to know whose blood it was. He had thanked the good fortune that Damon didn't hear them that night, but well, his compulsion was pretty effective, and he had the decency to clean her neck so that Damon wouldn't smell any blood.

"Do we have a deal?" Stefan said.

Klaus nodded his head. "We have a deal."

* * *

It was late at night. Elena couldn't sleep, and it was too quiet in the house. She had heard Damon going to his bedroom, too, and she quickly jumped out of bed, wanting to walk around the house just a little bit, to reduce boredom. After all, he didn't say that she had to stay in her room at night, did he?

Putting on a cover up over her lacy white nightgown, which was her least favourite nightgown because she felt too exposed, Elena made her way out the bedroom door. She was never interested in touring the jail she found herself in, but with Damon asleep and her not tired at all, Elena found herself actually interested.

The house was perfect. It was big, a mansion to be precise. It looked old, maybe the gothic era, in fact the building was definitely gothic and rich. Statues and portraits of different people were in the house and though everything was quite dark, Elena found herself amused and interested. The library seemed old, and the smell of rusty books nauseated her a bit.

There was, however, one locked door that caught her eye. In a house like that, a locked door definitely increased suspicion and imagination. She desperately searched around the room, hoping to find a key, and then she saw a set of keys in the wall unit. Opening the door, she realized it lead to the basement. Her heart started to beat fast, and she prayed that maybe this new discovery could lead her to a door-a door that could lead her to her freedom.

Walking slowly down the stairs, Elena's eyes scanned around the room. There was nothing special.

But then, she heard an unfamiliar sound and when she turned to look, Damon was standing in front of her, and even though Elena couldn't see him, she could practically imagine his cold stare.

"I'm sorry," She whimpered, "I didn't mean to intrude..."

Then, her eyes adjusted to the darkness, but when she saw him, something else scared her. It wasn't the fear of being discovered and the fear of being punished again, no. This time, something else scared her.

His red eyes did.

Elena screamed.

* * *

A/N: Wow…loved writing this! Pls review!


	9. Chapter 9

**A really, really, HUGE thank you to my BETA Cdaye8184, this chapter turned out great because of you hun. Thank you so, so much. Check out her stories, they are amazing.**

**That being said, enjoy this chapter and please help me reach 100 reviews by Chapter 10, it's my target ;)**

**Thank you!**

* * *

She fled.

She had to run as fast as she could, because Damon was not a man. He was a creature from hell. No man could have pointed teeth and red eyes. He was chasing her now, and Elena rushed to the first spare bedroom she found, locking the door behind her.

"Elena, let me explain. I swear, I mean you no harm..." Damon said in a controlled voice just before the door closed in on his words, separating him from Elena, the precious human that had him infatuated from the start.

"S-Stay a-away f-from m-me," Elena whimpered, traumatized by everything that had happened in a span of five minutes. She backed away, wiping tears, her body shaking violently and uncontrollably. She had to escape, she had to…

"Elena, open this door," He continued calmly.

"Stay away from me!" She warned him, the fear basically seeping out of her words.

"Elena, please open this door so we can talk. I'm beginning to get aggravated and you" He stopped before emphasizing the last bit. "You do not want that to happen."

"I don't care!" She cried back. "I don't want to see your face. I don't want to be anywhere near you! You're a monster." She whispered the last part, as if just realizing it for herself although basically knowing the whole time.

"This door will not stop me, I can promise you that. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Elena. Honestly, I'd much rather prefer the easy way because I'm getting sick and tired of this whole chase-bullshit. " He warned, "Now open the damn door…"

But Elena remained frozen, too scared to bear the idea to be in _a bedroom_ with the creature from hell. His warning had fallen on deaf ears. She knew what he was capable of. Actually scratch that, no she never. He had probably done things-committed crimes that she, would not be able to conjure up in his wildest dreams. Her thoughts of the beast were interrupted by his voice. It was no longer calm. It was loud, and raw and dangerous.

"Back up," Damon ordered loudly, and Elena backed away from the door instantly, afraid and completely oblivious to his capabilities. The door flung open and he blurred next to her.

In panic, she tried to flee but he harshly grabbed her arm and threw her on the bed, pinning her down with his body. She started to kick, thrash, scream and pound against his chest but it didn't even shake him. Compared to her tiny frame, he was huge even though he was no bigger than the average sized man. He was dead weight against her, she knew struggling would prove nothing nor accomplish anything but yet, she continued to kick and scream and punch and push.

"Get off me!" She cried, tears flowing down her face like the trickling stream of a river.

"Elena, if you are not going to behave you're going to be very sorry," Damon spat through his clenched vampire teeth that had protruded while she attempted to hurt him. Frankly it was just pissing him off which caused his veins to also show, frightening her even more. He pinned her arms above her head, in attempt to stop her foolish 'violent' act towards him.

Elena calmed down at the threat and the sight of him. Frightened wasn't the word to describe how she felt right now, but something told her to obey him and just hear him out so she did, and he let her go slowly. In a minute, Elena was on her feet again still trembling and sobbing, trying to control herself, making her way to the door, but Damon was obviously quicker. He gripped her arms and forced her to stay still.

"You will not leave this bed," He compelled the girl as his eyes dilated and then constricted back to normal, and the poor brunette couldn't understand how her legs or arms just couldn't move.

"What did you do to me?" Elena asked in horror, a dozen things entering her mind. Was he paralyzing her? Was he going to physically hurt her?

"I asked you not to move," Damon replied, taking a seat on the bed, though at a considerable distance.

"_Asked_? My body…"

"No questions," Damon interrupted her with a scary glance. "You have no right to ask any questions."

"No right? I just saw you…I…"

"You what, Elena? What are you asking?"

"W-What are you?" She stammered, still not sure if she wanted to know the truthful answer.

"You don't want to know," Damon said, amused.

"I have to know, please," Elena begged, tears welling in her eyes once more. At least if she knew, she'd be able to handle it. But living in fear did not sound easy at all.

"I'm a vampire," Damon finally said the words he had been holding for too long. He watched silently as horror showed into her beautiful facial features. A fat tear rolled down her cheek and he silently cursed. He tried to talk to her, to touch her, but she flinched away from his touch, afraid that those hands will be the same hands that will torture and kill her. A criminal she could handle, hell a rapist she could even handle at this point but a vampire? That was too fucking much for her to handle.

She looked at him with hate and disgust in her eyes. The word 'vampire' kept repeating inside her head. She didn't even know what being a vampire meant. If this was fiction, she would've distinguished whether it was a vampire from True Blood or a vampire from Twilight, but this was reality. And Damon did not look like a tame vampire at all. He seemed more like the bad ones from True Blood mixed with a demonic version of Dracula.

Damon realized that Elena was physically shaking and that he had to explain himself soon. Maybe compelling her not to move wasn't a good idea, she had the right to run after all.

"What do you _really _want with me?" Elena asked when she found her voice, her face still covered with tears.

"Nothing's changed and nothing will change. You're here to keep me company," Damon said in a neutral tone of voice. He knew what she was thinking, obviously. What did vampires usually want from humans?

Blood and sex.

Elena did not seem at ease, even after he answered her.

Damon thought about compelling her to forget again, but in his heart, he knew that it couldn't go on. Even if he did compel her to forget again, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't find out sooner or later.

He inched towards her, making her back away till she was pressed up against the headboard.

"Elena, you don't have to be afraid," Damon continued, "If I wanted to hurt you or kill you I would've done it by now. There is no reason why you should behave like this. You know the truth, and we can't change that. I wish I could, but I can't. I didn't have a choice when I turned, I don't have a choice now and neither do you." He reached out for her, taking her chin gently but firmly in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "You know that you belong to me now, Elena. You can make the best of it or you can be afraid of me for no reason and spend your time here as a living nightmare. If you obey me and be a good girl, you won't have a reason to be afraid of me, ever."

Elena slowly locked her eyes with his, and though she saw the coldness of his heart, she also saw the sincerity in his eyes, and heard it in his voice. It didn't mean that she could just be at ease, but it did help her poor fragile heart calm down a bit.

"See? That's better," Damon continued in a voice that a person usually uses to soothe a child. He let go of her chin to caress her face gently.

"You're a vampire?" She asked carefully, more to herself than to him. ""You said you didn't have a choice when you turned, so you were once human right?"

"Yes," Damon replied. "I was. But I was turned in 1864."

"Oh my God," Elena gasped. "You're…"

"A hundred and forty eight years old, yes," Damon said smirking, amused by her gasps. "Why so shocked? It's crazy how unbearably handsome I can be for an old man, huh?" He chuckled trying to ease the tension but she completely ignored that part.

She swallowed loudly, looking around the room nervously. The room was dark and very big. It was also tidy and organized and the bed she was on was a Queen sized one. She realized that she had entered his bedroom, of all rooms available.

"Elena?" He asked, wondering if she went out of it or if she was simply just ingesting the information.

She gulped. "You go out in the sun."

"Most of my kind burn in the sun. But I have a ring, it protects me," He wiggled his finger. "It was given to me by a witch. Dead ugly thing isn't it? Unfortunately I had no choice but to stick with it, I'd turn to a pile of ash if I was exposed to the sunlight without it."

"A witch?" Elena gasped once more. "There are such things as witches?"

"Yes."

"What about powers? Can you control fogs?"

He nodded. "I can control fogs and crows. I don't use those too much though. I prefer compulsion."

"So you hypnotize women to your bed," Elena dead-panned. "You seduce."

"True about the last statement, false about the first one," He said in a cocky tone of voice. "I never used compulsion to get a woman in my bed. And believe me, it would be a cold day in hell indeed when I used compulsion for that purpose."

Elena shivered, amusing him even more.

She looked around the room once again. "You sleep in beds."

He rolled his eyes. "Coffins are hard and uncomfortable, don't you think?"

"And you have a reflection," She continued, ignoring his remark. "What about photographs?"

"I appear in photographs as well," He confirmed.

"Stake to the heart? Decapitation?"

"Not myths. Though the latter is hard to accomplish," He said carefully, suddenly feeling wary. He did not want her to use this information about him.

"What about blood? Do you drink virgin blood?"

He laughed at that, making her red as a tomato. "No, sweet Elena, I can drink whoever and whatever blood I want."

"What about bats?"

"My, my, what kind of television do you kids watch today?" Damon smirked. "No. No bats."

Elena nodded her head, processing everything he just said. "What about your brother?"

"What about him?"

"Is he different from you?"

"My brother and I don't use the same feeding methods," He said casually. "Also, vampires can't procreate…Though we love to try," He gave her a naughty grin which did not make her at ease at all.

"Any more interrogations?" He asked her after a while.

"No." She muttered, satisfied with the information he had possessed her with.

"Good. Then I will see you tomorrow." He bore into her eyes, removing her compulsion. "You're free to stand up now if you like," He said in a controlled voice.

Elena got off the bed slowly, avoiding eye contact.

"Goodnight, Elena."

He left consciously and quietly kicking himself in the ass. What the hell had gotten into him in there? He said he would play cool around her, not frighten the shit right out of her. He had gone to far, and he instantly regretted it, especially the compulsion part but it had to be done. She wouldn't have listened otherwise. Oh well, he thought. She now knew his dirty little secret and all the titbits of information that came along with it. He just hoped she wouldn't try to use it against him, that wouldn't make him very happy. In fact, he would probably snap more than he had early, making earlier's conversation seem like nothing. He hoped it didn't come down to that, he didn't want it to come down to that. For some unknown reason inside of him, and deep inside of him, he didn't want to scare her. He didn't want her to be frightened of him despite the fact it's what he wanted from everybody else. He wanted her to get accustomed to him, for who he was and maybe see who he could be. Things wouldn't be that bad with him, would it?

* * *

The next morning Damon woke up early. After the night's events he hardly slept. He knew things were going to change between them now, hell, it was difficult for him yet alone her. But the night before, he had seen something different in Elena. He saw fire, determination…It was almost as if she had a secret of her own and this made him want to figure it out.

It was almost as if she was more than human herself, but what more could she possibly be? She didn't seem anything besides a fragile human.

And sometimes, he realized that things seemed so plan, so thought out as if done for a purpose, some kind of meaning. He had never saved a human life before, yet he had decided to run towards the submerged car which happened to be her parents' car. Things were just too strange.

Then he had taken her in with his brother, and now he ended up like this, protecting the girl from harm. The job, the humans and his brother were all forgotten. His world centered on the fragile little Elena.

* * *

Elena was wide awake, in fact she hardly got three hours of decent sleep. She could not for the life of her, understand how a man so beautiful, so gorgeous could be anything other than a human, but a monster. His red eyes and fangs haunted her throughout the night, waking up screaming more than once. Nightmares of him filled her thoughts and yet, in her heart, she knew that there was something different about him, there was something worth searching for. Something that still made him more than a vampire and she wanted to get to the bottom of it, to figure out what that was. She wanted to explore his deepest secrets, his darkest days despite how traumatizing they could be for her, she wouldn't care. There was a pull to Damon, there was no denying it. It would only be a matter of time before she figured out the rest of his story and why he was, the way he is. All monsters act the way they do for some secret reason and she could almost assume that with Damon, it was no exception.

She just had to work hard to bring out the good side in him, the side of him that nobody else had ever seen. Maybe in his human days, maybe not. Yes, that's what she had to do.

After all, she had her own demons. She had her own secrets and honestly, she wouldn't mind somebody figuring them out about her. Somebody like Damon.

* * *

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	10. Chapter 10

A/N First of all, I want to thank my Beta Reader Cdaye8184, both for her help on all of my stories and also for reviewing them ;) Thanks girl, check out her stories cause they're awesome just like her :D

Second, sorry it took me long to update, my holidays started a few days ago and the first week's always full of entertainment haha.

I also want to thank **ALL OF THE ANONYMOUS REVIEWERS **, I appreciate and love your reviews and I'm thanking you from here since I can't pm you. Also, thank you SalvatoreQueen for reviewing lots of my stories and another thanks to Moonwolflove.

Thanks everyone for helping me reach 100 (and passed them too) Couldn't have done it without you. xxxx

* * *

Damon was standing by Elena's bed; on the small couch she had in her room to be exact. This had been happening ever since he had brought her in the house. He would go in her room and simply stare at her. Stare at the Katherine-look alike that was sleeping peacefully in one of his beds, the same girl that he was curious and so damn confused about. Sometimes, he would get inside her head and try to make her dreams more pleasant, and at other times he would slowly go next to her and ever so gently, he would stroke her cheek still astounded by their similarities but yet noticing more and more the differences that separate them.

It was weird. Vampires usually lived for blood, and lust was a vampire's greatest weakness. But just stroking Elena's cheek made it feel like it was enough. Like something else was his weakness and that it wasn't lust. Her warmth against his cool hand reminded him about the warmness in Elena's heart, and his own lost humanity, the humanity he had lost so many years ago. He wanted to slip through Elena's façade and maybe get to know her. He wanted to learn about her kindness, her life. But if he continued to scare her then Elena would just hide from him.

He downed his glass of bourbon and resisted the urge to throw the glass away and have Elena. Yes, she was there, sleeping on a bed he had given her, her neck bare waiting to be sucked dry, it was most enticing to him. He swallowed back the desire because he could not let the demon part of him take over. He would not.

He stood up and reached out for her, stroking her hair. "What am I going to do with you?" He asked himself, sighing. "I can't be selfish with you. I feel with you. This isn't me, this was never me."

And that was the truth. She was changing him, ever so slightly even if he didn't want to admit it. He was becoming less of the monster he was known to be and a little more like the curly haired Damon that died long ago. It was a bad thing for his sake but when you looked at the greater picture; it was good. More than good, probably great. But this was going to be his weakness, being sweet and gentle with Elena.

When the momentary self-searching subsided, he glanced back towards her neck and the demon within himself unleashed again. He started thinking the way he had always thought. The truth was he knew how to be gentle. Of course he did-He was always gentle before biting down their precious necks. But Elena wasn't a typical girl. She couldn't be fooled.

His gentleness had to be real. And out came the man again, the man he was afraid of. The man he so desperately tried to conceal for all these years but this girl, this fragile human girl lured him out and there was no stopping it.

* * *

"Good morning," Damon greeted Elena with a huge grin on his face, a true genuine smile; the first true smile in a very long time but she barely returned the smile. He lost his grin immediately when he saw that she was still tense and afraid.

"Good morning," She choked out, avoiding his eyes.

"Here," Damon said giving her a small bag in attempt to change the subject. "Wear this."

She opened the bag impatiently and she found a black bikini there. She looked up at him with confusion and uneasiness. He rolled his eyes.

"Elena, it's just a bikini," He mumbled, "Go wear it."

"Why?"

"Just go put it on," He said, trying to keep calm. She made it impossible for him to act nice.

She scurried off, and he thanked God that she didn't protest anymore. He didn't want to test his patience.

When she returned, she was covering herself with the oversized beach towel he had put in there. Once again, he rolled his eyes.

"We are going to the Falls," Damon smirked and took her hand. "It was one of my favourite places when I was human and it still is."

She nodded, letting him guide her. It's not like she actually had a choice.

The Falls were just five minutes away. It was actually a huge lake which had a beautiful waterfall, and there were small caves Damon had discovered when he was human. The caves were beautiful, and he would spend hours there, thinking about his life and Katherine mostly since he discovered the falls shortly after her absence from his life.

He let go of Elena's hand and took off his shirt, revealing his perfectly toned body. Elena tried to look away but both of them knew that she was having a hard time doing so. She blushed when she saw him waiting eagerly for her to drop the towel that was keeping her safe, maybe protected.

"I'm not going to swim," She told him slowly and shakily.

"Why not?"

"I prefer to stay up here," Elena continued, but the reason was that she didn't like him seeing her in such lack of clothing. She was afraid of what his intentions were. Being in a lake alone with him was scaring her.

He blurred next to her and Elena jumped.

"Elena, I'm not going to hurt you," He assured her slowly. "All I want is for us to get to know each other. And I thought you'd like it if I let you out of the house."

"What makes you think I want to get to know you?" The words escaped her mouth before she could even think. When she looked at Damon, she saw his face red with fury. His fist went directly to the stones that surrounded the lake and they instantly broke in half. Elena jumped at his reaction and fear took over her.

"You are going to come to the lake and swim," He ordered her coldly, harshly grabbing her arm and removing the towel in the process.

He practically threw her in the water, and Elena shivered when she felt how cold it was. She looked smaller and vulnerable without that towel covering her body. Damon took a few breaths, cursing when he realized that he had scared her…yet again. Why did he always manage to practically ruin any chance of getting her forgiveness? He mentally kicked himself in the ass. His demon wanted full claim on her, and the fact that she wasn't obeying his orders made it impossible to reason things out. His demon wanted to be in control.

Her face was looking the other direction now, but he could see the pain in her eyes and tears threatening to fall. He sighed and swam next to her, holding her by her shoulders.

"Look, I'm sorry," He told her sincerely. "I didn't mean to scare you."

She didn't reply, but she locked her beautiful doe eyes with his. Those eyes were going to be the death of him, those eyes were the symbol of her innocence and her human morals.

He offered her his hand-again. "Come on. I want to show you something."

She placed her hand in his, and he finally stopped next to the small waterfall. "There are caves behind this waterfall," He explained, "I discovered them when I was human. I never shared this place with anyone."

She gave him her consent when he asked to pick her up so that she could see.

"Oh my God, this is beautiful..." She exclaimed in astonishment when she saw the sun reflecting in the cave, the water streaming gently down. She could hear a soft dripping noise as dew slid of the rocks, it was like a heartbeat. She could also hear soft squeaks which alerted her with the presence of animals, bats maybe. She shivered as the chilly draft went up and down her spine.

Damon smiled when he sensed her shivering, and he bounced her even higher watching every movement she made and almost feeling everything she was feeling. He could hear her heartbeat and her smile...God that smile-He had never seen such a genuine smile before, not even on Katherine. Katherine's smile was a devilish grin, a grin that hid every dark intention she had.

Half consciously, he wrapped his arms around her tighter, and his cheek was just a hairsbreadth away from her brow bone. In fact, he couldn't resist and he rubbed his cheek against her face. At this, Elena broke out of her reverie immediately and she let herself get free of Damon's arms.

"What's wrong?" He asked her, feeling truly confused by her sudden change of behaviour.

"Nothing's wrong, Damon," She said, swimming away from him. "I'm just tired."

"Elena, what's going on?" He demanded.

"You can't do this to me," Elena finally said after a few seconds of hesitance. "You can't be all sweet and cuddly one minute and a…monster the next. You're just trying to confuse me. You're not allowing me to think about everything that's going on…You're my captor, Damon, so for everyone's sake please, leave me alone and stop pretending."

He was stunned by her speech, and he sighed but took a few steps closer to her. "Elena, I'm not pretending," He explained. "In every vampire there is the man and the monster. I'm halfway between those two, since I have not given myself completely to either side."

Elena looked at him and nodded. "And what do you feel about me? Do you want to kill me?"

It was heartbreaking but funny at the same time. She had just asked a question so powerful and harsh yet she made it feel so natural. Maybe because it is, now, Elena thought. Wasn't this how her life had become?

She waited patiently for an answer.

"I wanted to, at first," Damon finally choked out. "But no. I don't want to kill you, and I wish I don't have to hurt you, either. But you're making it a bit difficult for me, Elena. I am not always in control." He admitted, finishing the sentence in a chiding tone of voice.

He thought for a moment what more he could say but right now there was nothing, words had failed him and thoughts refused to reason with him so he swallowed soundly, and after a long moment of silence, he said, "Come on, let's get you something to eat."

* * *

"A few friends are coming over," Damon announced later on that evening. "When they do arrive, I want you to stay in your room until I tell you that you can leave. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Damon," She nodded her head obediently.

"Good girl," He smiled, tugging a stray piece of hair behind her ears, and then he tapped lightly at his ear. "Oh, they're here."

He pushed her slowly to the direction of the stairs and repeated, "Do I have to use compulsion?"

"No, I'll be good," Elena said, fearing that he would take the choice away from her again. "I give you my word."

He nodded once and Elena hurried up the stairs.

* * *

It was about midnight, and the bourbon they had been drinking was obviously having its effect on the vampires. The house was a complete mess, there were bottles of alcohol everywhere and about five unconscious women spread evenly between the living room and the kitchen.

"Is that another human I smell?" Slater suddenly announced, and the other drunk vampires stopped drinking, all focusing on their sense of smell.

"Oh, Damon Salvatore has a human in the house," Sage continued, "What are you using her for, huh?"

"Sage, you might be my hottest teacher, but you're also the nosiest one," Damon blurred next to her and pulled her body closer to his, capturing her in a hungry kiss and a rough embrace.

"Yeah, Damon," She continued as she kissed his neck, "Tell me…Are you finally following my advice?"

Her sentence "A woman is not just food, she's pleasure" clicked in his mind.

"Yeah, I have been following that advice for over a century now," He said as he continued to kiss her. "Let's take this outside, shall we?"

"Sure, sure," Sage smiled, "I think Slater and Logan are busy having lunch." He saw the two male vampires sucking the blonde in their arms dry.

He took her hand and guided her to the road where he usually stayed and waited for his next victim.

* * *

Slater and Logan threw the now lifeless body aside and sat on the couch clumsily, feeling full and satisfied with the latest supply of blood. Logan wiped the blood away from his mouth.

"You know what, I'm feeling rather…curious about the girl Salvatore decided to keep," Slater commented. "Why didn't he bring her here? He always shares."

"You know me, Slater," Logan replied with an evil grin, "I can't help myself…I always feel the need to have something that isn't supposed to be mine."

He shot Slater one of his looks, a look they used when they were both thinking the same thing and they were, they were indeed thinking the same thing. And for Elena's sake, it wasn't good.

Wasting no time, they blurred upstairs and forced the door open in a minute. Elena jumped in fright at the sudden intrusion, but before she could even think about screaming, Slater had his hands clamped over her mouth, muffling her screams.

"Shh," He hushed her, "If you scream, I'm going to have to kill you…"

Elena's blood ran cold at the threat. The man holding her was grinning against her neck and tears formed in her eyes, afraid of what they could do to her.

"I'll do whatever you want, just please, don't hurt me," She pleaded.

"Shh, stop talking," Slater pushed her hair to the side and ran his lips on the big pulsating vein in her neck, placing little kisses down the smooth column of her throat. His hands ran down her face to her neck until they finally rested on her collarbone.

She suddenly wished for Damon. Damon was gentle compared to these two, Damon was safe compared to these two. She thought she felt afraid with Damon, but fright had a completely different meaning with these two... monsters. Even the air was different, god where was Damon?

She stood frozen as he held her, afraid of what was coming next. She heard the other man clearing his throat.

"You always were so selfish. Not willing to share anything with me, are you?" He pouted and the other smiled, tossing Elena at him like a rag doll.

He held her tightly from her neck and shoulders and kissed her earlobe, earning himself a shiver from Elena. This only amused him more and immediately he started to caress her neck with his fangs, breaking the skin slightly, making just a few drops of blood pour out. He licked the drops hungrily, before letting his fangs elongate, ready to bite.

Elena started to struggle in his hold, but his firm, bruising grip kept her in place as she instantly found herself pinned to a wall. Logan kept her arms pinned tightly above her hands and panic took over her when Slater popped off the first three buttons of her blouse.

* * *

"What was that?" Damon asked between hot, fiery kisses as Sage pressed up against him.

"Does it look like I really care right now?" She panted back, digging her hands into his hair and twirling his black locks around her finger, tugging on the loose ends slightly.

"I suppose not," Damon sighed, continuing to trail a path of kisses down her chest as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

Another scream.

"Wait, is that _Elena?"_ Damon roughly pushed Sage off him and turned three hundred sixty degrees around to find his shirt. Sage ran off after him, trying to have his attention.

"Sage, get off me," Damon spat as he tugged the shirt carelessly, blurring away in a second, his human instincts taking over; protection and safety.

* * *

Elena was sobbing harshly, trying to fight the man that was kissing her. No, she couldn't let those lips on her anymore-She couldn't bear it. Her shirt was torn and the vampire was staring at her hungrily, fangs bared, as the other one drained the life out of her while caressing her toned stomach.

In panic, Elena started to scream and she desperately kicked at the men's stomach, hoping that at least it would shake them off her. She kicked and punched aimlessly until suddenly the men backed away from her, taken off guard. She headed straight towards the door but Logan blocked her way and pushed her violently, sending her flying across the room where the mirror instantly broke in half, the glass shattering and hitting Elena.

She whimpered in pain as she hit the ground, tiny bits of glass in her arm and legs. Blood pooled everywhere but the condition she was in did not make Logan and Slater have a change of heart. Instead, Slater ran towards her and pinned her fragile body to the ground.

It was then that she saw Damon.

* * *

He had blurred to her bedroom, afraid of what he would find, but the scene in front of him was far worse than he expected. Elena was just wearing a torn long blouse which had now become a half-top. There were popped buttons everywhere leaving the girl's bra exposed. He saw shattered glass and saw her bleeding violently, but what made him mad with fury was one of his friends on top of Elena, ready to hit her.

But that hand never touched Elena.

Instead, Damon ran in Slater's direction and sent them both flying through the window, taking him by surprise. Sage and Logan immediately joined, surprised by the sudden change of Damon's behaviour and they tried to stop the two men from becoming a one, big tangled knot of bloodshed.

"I'm warning you, Slater," Damon barked, "If you lay a finger on her I swear to God I'll drive a stake through your heart, don't believe I won't…"

"She's just a human," Slater spat through clenched teeth. "There is no need for you to act like this…"

"Get out of my house," Damon ordered as Logan stood protectively in front of Slater."All three of you. Get the fuck out."

"Damon, I never expected this from you," Sage stepped forward, her eyes wary. "We'll leave in peace, but don't think that this behavior won't destroy you."

"Get out," Damon spat, ignoring their words. Maybe it would destroy him, but he would fight it, he would fight for her. He would always choose her.

* * *

When he returned to the room, he found Elena curled to a ball next to the bed, attempting to hide as much of her body as possible. She had cuts and bruises everywhere, and Damon's heart ached seeing her in such state.

She looked up at him with her beautiful doe eyes pleadingly. He realized that she couldn't even move properly, he had heard about humans becoming almost paralyzed for a few minutes after a trauma. He hissed as he repeatedly blamed himself. He shouldn't have left her.

He kneeled down in front of her and reached out to cradle her face. "Elena, it's okay. I'm here now, I'm going to help you."

She just stared at him blankly, and for a minute he thought that her injuries were severe, or, God help him, she was too traumatized that her brain wasn't functioning properly.

"Elena, it's okay, you're safe. I won't hurt you."

He reached out for her and picked her up gently, walking slowly with her in his arms until he set her down on the counter in the bathroom.

"Elena, I am going to take out the pieces of glass, okay?" He spoke softly, trying to soothe her. "I promise I won't hurt you any more than necessary. Unless you want my blood, it can heal you…" He mumbled thoughtfully.

She shook her head 'no', and he understood her. Placing a kiss on the top of her head, he gently took her arm and with a pair of tweezers, he carefully pulled the piece out. Elena gasped in pain but relaxed when he assured her that she's going to be fine.

"I'm going to run you a warm bath now, okay?" He asked her after he was done. "It will help soothe the wounds. I'll be outside if you need me."

She nodded her head and watched his every movement in silence. He was so careful around her, and guilt formed in his beautiful face. He feels guilty about what happened to me, Elena thought. He then appeared in front of her and wrapped his arms around her, helping her off the counter.

"There's soap, shampoo, conditioner…" He finished lamely, unable to decide what to say. The guilt was killing him. Those bastards could've raped her. They could've killed her. All because he decided to have sex with Sage and leave Elena unprotected. Could he feel any worse right now?

He left Elena alone in the bathroom and went to drink a glass of bourbon, unable to deal with himself right at that moment. He wanted to kill them; he wanted to hear the satisfying sound of their bones snapping.

Just then, he heard a loud thump on the floor, and half consciously he blurred to the bathroom where he knocked impatiently on the door. When he heard soft whimpers, he slowly opened the door, finding Elena on the floor, the bottles of soap and towels surrounding her.

"I'm so sorry, I f-fell…" She cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry."

He reached out to help her up, but she backed away from him, clearly afraid.

"Please don't hit me."

Her little sentence broke his heart, or at least what was left of it. Her eyes were closed, clearly expecting a blow, expecting him to hit her. He couldn't form any words so instead he took her hands in his own and helped her up. He locked his eyes with hers and his fingers found her shirt, asking her for permission without using any words. With tears in her eyes, she gave him her consent and he took off what was left from the blouse, leaving her in just her bra and underwear.

He gently set her in the bath tub and started to tend the wounds, applying creams and anything he could find on the shelves. He put a generous amount of shampoo and started to gently wash her hair, massaging the roots thoroughly, ever so slowly. He wanted-no needed, to make up for what happened. It would forever be in the back of his mind, constantly tugging at his conscious and he didn't know if he would ever forgive himself for it. But what mattered was she was here, and she was in his safety. She would be safe from now on, if Damon Salvatore's life depended on it.

When he was done, she stared up at him in wonder and trust as he helped her get into one of his shirts that was long enough to reach her thigh. She remained quiet as he set her on the bed and ran a comb through her messy curls, tugging the ends slightly and caressing the back of her neck as he ran his fingers through her silky hair.

And finally, she went to sleep feeling safe as he settled down next to her on the bed, after asking her permission, of course. She felt safe as he ran his fingers through her damp hair and held her protectively against him.

And when he kissed her forehead and told her goodnight, she felt so good and happy that she couldn't even understand it.

But Damon could not sleep at all. Not when knowing that the vampires that almost abused Elena were safe and sound in their homes.

He could not let them live. Three stakes was all he needed. He scurried out of his house almost instantly and appeared at each of their homes, ready to destroy and ready to protect Elena, once and for all. They barely had time to gasp when the wood scraped their hearts. Damon returned home feeling more like a monster but feeling satisfied. He would do whatever he had to do... to keep this young, beautiful, mesmerizing woman, safe.

It was then that Damon could sleep-After the three lifeless vampires were turned to the satisfying colour of grey but he needed to watch right until he was one hundred percent sure they were gone. Then he could breathe again, so to speak.

He held the brunette all night long, knowing that he would have to keep his fragile little girl safe from everyone.

* * *

**Pls review :D**


	11. Chapter 11

A/N Thank you for the wonderful response about last chapter: OMG 16 reviews! I was sooo happy, please keep them coming I want to reach 20 reviews on a chapter so bad.

Thanks so much Courtney (Cdaye8184) for Beta-ing this ;) Check out her stories-they are awesome ;D

* * *

The following day after the accident, Elena was woken up by Damon's hands gently stroking her hair. She had to admit, the gesture confused her for a moment, and Damon seemed completely out of it as he ran his fingers through her silky hair. The way he was acting felt like he was doing it instinctively, naturally. Like a husband does with his wife when they wake up together, or like a loving boyfriend does with his girlfriend. She was neither. She was supposed to be entertainment, food…But he was being so tender, gentle and sweet.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her, genuinely concerned about her. She could see his worried face and the guilt in his eyes. Perhaps that was why he was being so nice, she thought... because he feels guilty and he feels obligated to be concerned. That had to be it, right? That had to be the only reason...

"Much better," She replied anyway.

"I'm glad," He finished awkwardly. He did not know what to say. Damon had done lots of bad things in his life but there were a few things that he had sworn he'd never do, three things actually: Hurt children, beat women, and sleep with, or better, rape, an unwilling woman. Those things kept his humanity alive, and although he was not pleased with that fact, he didn't let that issue stop him from not doing those three things. It was strange, because he didn't have a problem ripping hearts and throats out…But those three things simply annoyed him. He couldn't stand the fact that the latter almost happened to Elena. How dare they touch something that belonged to him? But they got what they deserved, although Damon felt he almost let them off too easily. But for Elena's sake he had to make it quick; so he could return to protect her. His fists unknowingly turned white with anger.

He couldn't avoid her any longer. He cleared his throat, and turned to watch her however he finds that she was staring at him. She blushed when she realized she had been caught and Damon smiled, a genuine smile, at the sight of her blushing. She looked too cute.

"Listen, I'm sorry about what happened yesterday," Damon mumbled, his eyes focusing on the floor. "I never thought they'd stoop so low."

She nodded her head, not knowing what she should say. After a few minutes of silence, however, she said, "Thank you…For saving me. I don't know what could've happened if you didn't make it in time. And thank you for, ehm, you know…Cleaning me up."

"You're welcome," He said solemnly. "I'm just really glad you're okay, Elena. Honestly." Which he truly was. And at that particular moment, something told her to believe him, to believe that he wasn't just doing it out of guilt or out of pity. That he was doing it because he cared about her and that warmed her heart immensely. She was beginning to not hate this man/vampire because more of his man side was beginning to show than the latter-Elena liked that.

She smiled at him, and he held her gaze for a few moments. "Do you want something to eat?"

"I actually want to stay in bed," Elena said, "I'm feeling a bit tired, and some wounds haven't been properly healed yet."

"I can still bring you something up here if you like." He offered.

"Okay then, thank you, Damon."

"Elena?" He asked as he stood in the door way. "I can help you get rid of the last bit of pain if you want. I can heal you completely."

"You can?" Elena whispered.

"Yeah," He replied. "A vampire's blood heals wounds, small and large. "It would only take a drop." He said. "... If you want."

Elena felt a little uneasy about doing that just yet so she simply thanked him. "Thanks for the offer, Damon but I don't think I'm ready to do anything like that, you know? I should be fine very soon, I promise." She smiled at him and he nodded his head in understanding, knowing exactly why she didn't want to do that. She was still afraid of him, even if she didn't say it. He wished she wouldn't be. He cleared his throat. "Okay then. Let me know if you change your mind."

He went downstairs and laid out a tray for Elena. He made her a cup of coffee and cooked two eggs, a few pieces of bacon and a few slices of toast. He didn't know what gotten into him, suddenly feeling so damn protective and guilty about what happened to that girl. But somehow, Elena was making him see her as a person, not a meal or entertainment. He found himself not wanting to cause her harm.

He gave her the tray and slipped in next to her, joining her by eating some of the food. He loved cooking, and since he could eat, he didn't mind.

"You made this?" Her eyes widened in astonishment.

"Yes. I love cooking. My last's name Salvatore...It's Italian, you know." He gave her a smug smile.

"It's good," She said with her mouth full of egg and she was now preparing to dig into the bacon.

"So, what are you reading?" He asked her, trying to make a conversation.

"It's call of the wild, by Jack London," Elena said, "It's great so far."

"This is my favourite book," Damon announced, "I like the story. I was around when it was written."

"You read?" She asked, in surprise.

"Elena, when you live for over a hundred years, you have to have a hobby, otherwise you'll be bored to death."

"Right…of course." She answered lowly, almost awkwardly.

She continued to eat in silence, and he realized that what he said affected her in some way or other. It was probably because she was trying to forget what he was and he reminded her out of the blue.

He heard his phone vibrate and left the room without warning. He saw Stefan's name as the caller's ID. "Stefan."

"Damon, where the hell are you? What did you do with the girl?" His brother's demanding voice come across the phone. Typical Stefan, always jumping to conclusions.

"She's…around," Damon replied, without really replying at all.

"Cut the crap, Damon, you know that you can end up in prison for this, right?"

"I believe that's my problem, Stefan, not yours." Damon hissed.

"I want the girl, Damon." Stefan demanded.

"So this is about Elena now?" Damon assumed, beginning to feel slightly uneasy but he wouldn't dare show it in his voice.

"Of course it is! She's the doppelganger, Damon, we can get Katherine back!"

"We'll find another way. Who can guarantee that Klaus will give us Katherine back?" Did he even want Katherine back any more? That was the thought that ran through his head while Stefan continued to talk. What was the point? But of course he did... he thought.

"If we hand him the doppelganger-"

"Find another way Stefan."

He hung up on his brother. He knew what his brother wanted-He was planning something with Klaus for sure, and something told him it wasn't just about Katherine. The desire for power always was Stefan's greatest weakness. And when he got it, well he couldn't control it. He never could and knowing that, was one of the only perks of being that brood's brother. No, he would not give Elena to either of them-They'd turn her into a rag doll, play with her and then kill her painfully. No-only he could touch Elena…not that he was going to, but Elena was his. She belonged to him; they had no right to take her away.

Then, another word Stefan said clicked in his mind. Prison. Of course, vampires had laws.

The first three were about humans not learning about vampires being sold and not touching a vampire's pet before they were sold. Usually, vampires liked to mark their newly bought humans themselves, so the 'sellers' had no right to touch the human being sold.

And then, there was the third one: No vampire could have an emotional or physical bond. In other words, they couldn't fall in love, pity or try to save the human which is meant to be sold.

These laws, if broken, could lead either to execution or prison. And prison was totally different in the vampire world. It wouldn't be easy to get out. Hell, it'd be nearly impossible. There was no blood was given and vampires experienced torture involving sunlight and vervain and only God knew how many years they spent there. Not to mention what happens to the humans that were supposed to be sold-They would often end up being owned by Klaus, and Klaus didn't do a good job in keeping a human alive.

* * *

Things changed.

Elena couldn't help but notice. Things between them changed, Damon was being so gentle with her that sometimes she seemed to forget that that man-no, vampire-was keeping here there against her will. He talked to her more often, and took an interest in her. He asked her about her favourite movies and books, and then he had bought them all for her. To be completely honest with herself, they seemed like young teenagers that 'liked' one another trying to get the other's attention, it was silly but Elena liked it.

He asked her about her likes and dislikes in clothing and then bought her a cute, polka-dotted pyjama after she told him that she always wanted one. She wasn't feeling so alone lately, in fact he rarely left her alone anymore. He never locked her up in her bedroom when he did not want to deal with her, instead, he'd let her have the house and get out of there himself when he wanted to deal with his feelings.

Damon also noticed Elena's change. She seemed less afraid of him, she didn't tremble in fear anymore when he raised his voice at her. She didn't close her eyes, expecting blows (not that he'd ever hit her) when he inched closer to her when they were arguing. It didn't mean that she was okay with his nature, obviously because she was still scared when she saw him drinking blood from a blood bag a few days before.

What troubled him greatly were the girl's nightmares. She had been having nightmares ever since he brought her there. At times, she woke up crying at night, and sometimes he heard her whimpering almost like she was in pain. The worse part of it was that these nightmares were occurring more frequently, and she was waking up screaming almost every night. In days, she was walking around like a living dead-Dark circles appeared under her eyes, signaling that she was tired and needed rest. He wanted to help her, he hated seeing her like that but he didn't know how.

One day, he decided to confront her.

"Elena, I am worried about your lack of sleep," He told her one morning when he found her laying on her back, staring at the ceiling. "You know you need to rest."

He reachedout to push her hair that was damp with sweat and clung to her face. It was the barest touch of his fingertips, but she jumped back like she had been scalded. "Don't touch me." She hissed at him.

"Elena, what's the matter with you?" He was surprised by her sudden change of behaviour.

"Nothing's wrong with me. I just don't want you to touch me." She rolled off the bed, stumbling and almost falling in the process. He caught her before she could hit the ground.

"Do you mind telling me what's going on?"

"Oh, he wants to know what's going on, now," Elena said mockingly. "Let me tell you what's going on, Damon. I am having nightmares about you. It's always you-It's either you giving me to someone-yeah, I think his name's Klaus, or hurting me, or feeding on me…Then I see this Klaus person locking me up and finally killing me. And you know how, Damon? He burns me alive. Literally."

He winced at her tone not ready to say anything because he was stunned, and she backed away from him. "See? Now you know."

"I'd never do that to you, Elena." He whispered, feeling hurt.

"Oh, really? Something tells me that you'll change your mind sooner or later." She spat back, hurting him even more.

"And why do you think that?" He asked her.

"I'm not thinking, I just know it," Elena snapped. "Look, forget it. Leave me alone."

"Elena, you still need to rest."

"What I need, Damon, is fresh air," Elena continued, "And to see my family. Which are two impossible things right now."

He sighed and stood up, putting his hands on her shoulders, gently turning her around to face him. She tried to shrug him off but he didn't let her. Once again, he was taking the choice away from her. "You want fresh air? I am not stopping you. The door's unlocked." He stepped away from her. "If I wanted you to stay in here, I would've compelled you to. Besides, I already took you out twice. You can go in the garden if you like."

She looked at him and then grabbed her book and fled downstairs, eager to get out of the house. The scent of the furniture was making her dizzy.

There was a bench next to an area of red roses. To her surprise, the garden was well kept, and there was a strong smell of flowers. The sun was shining, and Elena, dressed in her little polka-dotted nightdress, the one that Damon bought her recently, felt the urge to sunbathe and just forget everything.

But instead, she sat on the bench, her book open in her lap, and stared. She stared at the trees, at the little bird trying so desperately to fly and at the mountains nearby. However, they seemed so far away…

She felt the bench crack a little and she realized that Damon was sitting next to her. Staring at the mountains, too.

"It's not easy being a vampire, you know," Damon started, his voice showing her that he was sincere. "It's not easy to see the people you love die out on you, and you can't do anything to stop it. This," He pointed at the mountains, and then to the surroundings. "I was here when that huge tree was just a plant. The mountains were different, somehow, back in my day. The roads, the people…Everything was different. Peaceful and serene. People were poor and they had nothing, but they were happier than the people that have everything in this generation. I'm not saying that evil didn't exist, but the world was somehow…more innocent."

Elena, who was desperately trying to ignore him, unknowingly turned her head towards his direction, urging him to continue with her eyes.

"I was born on the 15th of January, 1841. My beloved mother, Elizabeth-Ann Salvatore, was so proud of me. She took great care of me, and made it clear that she wanted to be the one to raise me, not some slave. My father disapproved at first, being rich meant having the ability to have slaves, and slaves had to do most of the work. But understanding her plight, he let her take care of me, doing everything herself: Feeding me, bathing me, sewing clothes for me, playing with me…She did everything and I was a true mommy's boy. I loved spending time with her, she was my idol-my angel. My father was proud of me, too. He wasn't gentle with me, but he was not abusive like many fathers were during those days. The trouble with him started when I was eighteen years old."

He paused for a minute. "Stefan was twelve years old and I was eighteen when my mother died. She caught the plague, and I didn't have the chance to say goodbye properly. People with the plague were taken away immediately. It was a miracle that we weren't diagnosed, too. After her death, my father turned to a complete different person. He spent nights and days outside, and I started to take care of my brother myself. I basically became his father-figure. I tried to be a good brother. I tried to do everything she did with me but she made it look so easy. Stefan needed his mother but I did the best I could. Five months after my mom's death, my father went on a trip, a business trip. We were all alone with the slaves."

Elena looked at him, now deeply interested in his story.

"Time passed. Exactly three months later, I took Stefan out to play with a girl who lived nearby. The girl was poor, and we weren't supposed to even talk to them. In that era, poor people didn't mix with rich people, and black and white people couldn't be in the same building at the same time, even if the black people were rich. But I was in love with Ruth, you see. Ruth had a younger sister, and while my brother played with her, I'd spent hours talking to Ruth. I was in love with her, I even wanted to marry her. I was willing to run away with her if I had to…I knew that my father wouldn't approve and I didn't want to leave Stefan, he was really all I had."

"Later on that night, I returned home and saw my father's carriage in our backyard. He had just arrived, and I was hoping that he had changed. That the business trip away from home healed his wounds just for a bit. I remember I put the half-asleep Stefan in his room and went to greet my father. Instead, I find him beating a slave senselessly.

"Oh my God," Elena whimpered, "Why?"

"That's not all," Damon continued, "She was pregnant. Apparently, she was too tired to handle the work. She dropped a glass of wine on my father by mistake. I had never seen him violent to anyone before, and to me, a man beating a woman is not a man. And worse, she was pregnant. Eight months pregnant, to be exact, because she had told Giuseppe she was pregnant before he left. He didn't take it lightly, but he didn't hurt her. But there he was, beating her up because of a tiny mistake. I went between them two without second thoughts, and grabbed the belt he was beating her with from his hands and threw it across the room as I yelled offences at him. When he saw that, he lunged at me, and I ended up with a few blows myself though he was nothing compared to me. I took the slave, Joanne, and helped her and cleaned her up myself. She was black and blue everywhere."

Elena couldn't help but have her heart warm up a little at the thought of Damon sticking out for a pregnant girl in front of his father.

"I remember she thanked me and hugged me so much that it was sad. I helped her throughout the last month of the pregnancy, and imagined myself doing the same thing with Ruth. But then, I noticed that things were changing between my father and I. He was strict, and he started to favour Stefan. I was no longer considered his son, and we often had fights due to the fact that I had to serve during the Civil war.

When I returned from war, I was determined to run away from that town. I wrote a letter to my father telling him that I was going to marry Ruth. Only when I came back, I found that Ruth was married to a noble man. It took me years to find out that my father had paid the man to marry Ruth…So that I won't spoil the Salvatore name. Things were different back then, the parents decided whom their children should marry. And Ruth was no different. It hurt a lot. I felt like I truly loved her and thinking back... I know I did" He whispered, having to relive the memories of his past were not good feelings but Elena needed to know.

"I'm sorry," Elena said sincerely, gazing at him with compassion in her eyes. "Your father wasn't right."

He sighed. "I know. But it's all in the past now, Elena. Memories…they are such a painful thing to bear. So to me, memories are dead…lost. I embrace my future, and nothing else." He shrugged. "But, enough about me. How about you?"

"What about me?"

"You're not completely human," He stated, searching for her face. "Are you?"

"I…of course I am." She stuttered, taken back by his question.

"Elena, I'm vampire," He said, "I sensed something special about you the moment I saw you. At first I thought-" He cut himself off, almost mentioning Katherine's name. "That it was because of your grief and mourning. But I realized that there is something else. I can sense it."

Elena sighed, closing her eyes. She gulped soundly. "Ever since the accident," She licked her dry lips nervously. "I discovered new…strange things about me."

"Strange as in…?"

"Telepathy." She said quickly and nervously. "I figured that I can communicate with people using my mind. And I have another…gift. Telekinesis."

"So what, you move objects with your mind?" Damon asked, intrigued, confused and amazed all at the same time.

"I never went any far than pushing my door open. I don't really know. I was too busy mourning my parents and having nightmares to bother to practice." Elena shrugged.

"And it just happened all of a sudden?"

"Yes. I woke up in the hospital, hearing at least ten minds at once."

"Have you tried to see where they came from?" Damon asked.

"No. Like I said, I was too busy mourning." Elena answered.

"What about here? Have you tried it here?"

"I did. But nothing worked here. It's like, something's blocking me out."

"You can't read my mind, then." He stated.

"No." She confirmed.

"Move objects?"

"Nothing." She shook her head.

"Strange," Damon commented. "Maybe they were given as precaution."

"What are you talking about? Precaution?" She asked, confused.

"You never know," Damon shrugged.

She sighed, and he stared at the nearest tree, his face worried. Somehow, this was scaring him. She was alive because he saved her from the drowning car. What if he had affected her in some mystical, supernatural way? What if those things could hurt her? She was the doppelganger after all.

But no, he wasn't going to let Stefan take her. And sure as hell not Klaus. Not as long as he's alive.

* * *

Please Review ;D


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N Special thanks to my beta Cdaye8184 ;) Thanks for beta-ing this xxx**

**Thank you, readers, for the nice reviews you've been giving-I'm receiving around 18 reviews per chapter and it's not something very common to me so THANK YOU and please keep them coming :)**

* * *

It was a cold night even though it had to be autumn. Elena was sipping a glass of red wine in the front balcony, watching the stars. He had actually allowed her to use the balcony, and even though she didn't admit it, the thought made her happy. The scenery outside was beautiful, there was green grass everywhere and the sky was clear, the stars looking bright. The night…it amazed her and scared her at the same time. It was during the night that her parents died. It was during the night that Damon kidnapped her. But at the same time, she still thought that the night was a beautiful thing. A mysterious thing, since nobody knew what was waiting for them out there. Just like him. As the trees lightly danced with the wind, Elena closed her eyes, feeling the soft breeze on her face and she just imagined that everything was okay. But everything was not okay, and the saddest thing was that she wasn't even blaming Damon anymore.

It was true, he kidnapped her and took her freedom away from her. Despite his gentleness, he was still her captor and she was still his prisoner. She still couldn't go out wherever she pleased, and she still couldn't see her family. But at the same time, she couldn't blame him, because her life was already screwed up before he came into the picture and it wasn't his fault. It scared her, but somehow she thought that maybe it was better there, locked away from society. Somehow, sometimes she let herself think of the mansion not as a cold prison but a safe heaven. More or less, it was a place to escape her horrible reality and even though this reality was equally horrible, it was different. It was a change of scenery, of people and a different way of living. And Elena kind of liked the change, as twisted as that may sound.

* * *

Damon watched her every movement from the shadows. He saw the way she closed her eyes, welcoming the gentle breeze that gently caressed her hair. He felt the great desire to be the one to caress and hold her. It was such a human thing to feel, such a disgusting thing to stoop so low. But he didn't care, he simply wanted to touch her, to feel her warmth against his cool body. He continued to study her as she walked around, drinking the wine he had offered her, her white nightgown long enough to reach just above her feet. Damn she was beautiful, and he was becoming confused about her more and more each time he saw her. He was confused because he didn't know if he even cared about her or not…He was completely lost in his vampirism, and he just couldn't tell the difference anymore about pure concern or possessiveness, a trait vampires had magnified greatly. One thing he knew for sure was that he would not kill her, or maybe even harm her. He liked to think of her as a delicate flower, a flower which could be easily torn if he was too rough with. Yes, that's what she was-Elena was a rose among weeds, a rose which was yet to blossom if he gave it time. And someday, he would pick up that rose, dark as his soul, and drink in its heavenly scent.

He was broken out of his inner musings when he heard the balcony door closing, indicating that she was going to bed. He stood there for a little while, unable to either move or think. A few minutes later, he heard soft snoring, and he ascended up the stairs slowly. What he saw before him was breathtaking. He found her curled up in sheets, her wine glass on the nightstand. As he focused on her face, he was shocked to find out that she was actually smiling. He had never seen her smile in her sleep, usually her dreams were all filled with pain and trouble.

Unable to resist any longer, Damon placed a kiss on her forehead, and allowed himself to get inside her head, just to see what she was dreaming about. He was shocked when he found out that the dream making her smile was about him. She was dreaming about him, and it wasn't a nightmare. She was dreaming that they were in a place-The Falls, yes, the place he had taken her to. In her dream, he was holding her, and she was talking to him about her life, her secrets. In her dream, he could hold and kiss her, and make her laugh too. Oh how he wished that her dream was real... that he could actually do these things to her...

He sighed, snapping out of it and he licked his dry lips. What was this girl? Why was she bringing out feelings in him which were supposed to be dead along with the human and gentle Damon?

He stepped out of her room. It would take several shots of Bourbon to help him that night.

* * *

"_You're so beautiful, Katherine," He pressed her up against the nearest wall, kissing every inch of her now bare skin. "Say it, say you're mine," He pleaded desperately. "Am I not good enough for you?"_

"_Yes, Damon, I'm yours," She panted between hot kisses. "I love you, Damon. I have so many plans for us. Just you and me, Damon."_

He woke up startled. How wrong he had been! Katherine was never his. She was always theirs. It was supposed to be him and Katherine, but his little brother claimed her as well. He never truly had her. And after her death, Damon couldn't figure out what to do with himself-He had lost her and he had lost his brother as well. He had been determined to do everything in his power to free her, and Elena was supposed to be the bargaining chip. But to be honest with himself, Katherine was maybe just an obsession. It had been so long since he loved someone, and it made him think if it was really love that he had with Katherine. Maybe it was just an obsession; he had spent over a hundred years searching for a way to get her back. Maybe if he did get her back, it would just be success and satisfactory. Damon knew perfectly well that it won't, however, satisfy his heart's needs. He didn't even know if he wanted to love her anymore.

Elena, on the other hand, was different. He wasn't willing to open up to her, but he was not willing to risk her life for Katherine's. At least not yet, because Elena was a companion in his life, a mysterious, delicate creature he had yet to figure out. Even if he did find Katherine he would still feel alone. Elena, even though she didn't like him or talk to him very much, still made him feel alive. Just waking up and hearing a human heart beating in the house, having warmth and the lovely human scent was enough to actually make him smile, which was rare.

He heard a light cough and he realized that Elena was there. Apparently, he had fallen asleep on the couch, and now Elena was looking at him with her beautiful brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, I just came to get a glass of water," She explained lamely, "And I saw you here." What she didn't tell him was that she found him so adorable in his sleep. He looked so peaceful, so…human.

"It's okay," He said, his head spinning. Apparently, he had drunken too much alcohol. It was still dark. "I wasn't fast asleep."

"Oh, good," She finished nervously, smelling the alcohol off him from where she was. She turned to leave the room, she was never comfortable when he was drunk.

He blurred in front of her, and she jumped back in fright. "Why are you still so afraid of me?" He asked her, moving shakily towards her until he had her pressed up against the wall.

Elena held her breath, her heart starting to beat faster in her chest. "What kind of question is that?"

"I can't understand," He spoke calmly, reaching out to take a lock of her hair in his fingers and he started to play with it, twirling and tugging the loose curls. "What haven't I given you, Elena? What did I do to deserve such unpleasantness?"

"Damon, you're not making any sense," Elena said, trembling. "Please just let me go back to bed."

"No," He growled, pressing his body against hers tightly, causing her to yelp. "I want you, Elena. I want you to be mine."

She gasped when she heard the words escape his mouth. Panic overwhelmed her at that little sentence. "Damon, what are you thinking?"

"I'm tired, Elena," Damon sighed, "I . Want. You. To. Be. Mine," He paused after each word, before he roughly grabbed her face and captured her lips with his in a hungry kiss.

She started to panic and tried to fight him off. "Damon, don't, what's wrong with you? Let go of me. Stop, Damon. You're hurting me!"

"Don't fight me, I know you want it too," Damon said, placing hungry kisses on her neck as he ran his hands down her body. "Don't fight me." He reached out to untie the sash that held the nightgown in place, and he said, "Tell me you want me. Tell me you're mine. I can sense it. I can feel it, just admit to it, Elena. Admit to me."

"Let me go!" Elena yelled, pushing him with all her strength. "Don't ever touch me again!"

She ran upstairs, holding the nightgown tightly against her body as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Damon's back slid down the wall, his face in his hands. He had screwed up. She didn't want him. Now he had scared her, and only God knew what she was thinking about him right now. Scratch that, he knew what she must be thinking. She was obviously thinking that he was trying to force her into sleeping with him. That wasn't what he had planned. What had gotten into him? He knew that she would have reacted poorly to him this early into their encounter. He had just made things worse, a hell of a lot worse. He swore loudly, cursing for having lost control of the situation. He could hear her soft sobs from where he was, and guilt infested itself in his cold heart. He screwed it up, big time.

* * *

**Mystic Falls**

"So is there any evidence of struggle?" Caroline asked her mother, who had just shared this information with her. The blonde's eyes were filled with tears now, knowing that her friend was taken away against her will and was most probably hurt.

"We opened a case about it a few days ago," Sheriff Forbes explained. "There were signs of struggle. She was taken away from the beach."

"Do you have any ideas? Any suspects, anything?" Caroline wept, "You have to help her, mum, she's my best friend…"

"We're doing everything we can, honey," Sheriff Forbes tried to assure her daughter, "But I'm not going to lie to you. Her captor did not leave many tracks. They just disappeared in the thin air. We can't figure it out."

"What do you mean disappeared?" The blonde asked wearily through tears.

"The tracks stopped halfway throughout the beach." Her mother replied, still just as confused as she had been the day Elena was taken.

"Oh my God," Caroline gasped, processing the information.

"You have to be honest with me, now, honey. Did Elena tell you where she was going? If she was meeting someone?" Her mother asked soothingly, trying to get anything, a lead, a clue.

"No, I didn't see her that evening," Caroline said hopelessly shrugging. "We knew that she wasn't into lots of fun stuff because of everything she was going through, and she wasn't going out with us in the evenings."

Her mom nodded. "I'll take care of it, honey. She'll be fine."

* * *

"Mom said there were signs of struggle," Caroline explained when she and Bonnie met later on that day.

"Oh my God," Bonnie said, "Jenna must be heartbroken…I don't know what I can do to help…"

"That's why I asked you to meet me," Caroline said hopelessly. "Bonnie, you know what they say about your grandma, her being a witch and all…Do you think that maybe she can help?"

"You're not actually saying that you believe it, don't you?" Bonnie gasped in surprise.

"If Elena's life is at stake, I'm willing to believe anything," Caroline sighed. "You believe her, Bon. And I think that she can help us."

"If my grandma's right, I may also inherit some psychic powers," Bonnie explained. "She doesn't take these things lightly so I'll talk to her. Maybe we can help her."

* * *

Elena did not see Damon that much the following day. She didn't want to. He came to wake her up, left her a tray with breakfast and disappeared. It was a better breakfast than usual. Bacon, eggs, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, ham, cheese and crackers and a large glass of milk. It surprised her immensely but when he dropped it off, he didn't even mutter a word. She, on the other hand, ate her breakfast, drank her milk and after a shower, she decided to continue writing the story she had been writing in her journal. She didn't have much to do, so the majority of it was already written. She always wanted to be a writer.

"I'm sorry about what happened last night," She heard a voice whisper, and she whipped her head around to see him leaning against the door. "I was drunk and I…"

"You thought that you could do whatever you pleased with me," Elena snapped angrily.

"I lost control of the situation. I'm sorry, Elena." She calmed down, hearing the sincerity in his voice. "I never meant to force you to do anything. I won't do that," He assured her quickly. "I was drunk."

She nodded, unable to form any words.

"I brought you clothes," He said, attempting to change the subject, handing her a big plastic bag full of clothes.

She peeked, finding the finest and beautiful clothing there. Mostly dresses, she had to admit, he rarely provided her with jeans and trousers. "Thanks," She muttered.

"Let me know if you feel uncomfortable-I can get you a different size." He offered.

"The others fit fine. Small sizes are good." She told him, he knew her surprisingly well when it came to clothes and their size.

"What are you writing?" He suddenly asked her, taking the journal away from her in one swift movement. She tried to take it back but he didn't let her. "I didn't know you had it in you," Damon said, reading the words carefully. "You're a good writer."

"Thank you." Elena shyly replied. He had been the first person to ever read anything she had written and for him to tell her she was good, well she appreciated it.

He gave her the journal back, swallowing loudly. He was thinking about whether or not he should tell her the truth about Klaus and his brother going after her. He wanted to tell her, maybe she could hate him less for keeping her there, but he couldn't form any words, because he was too proud of himself to tell her that he was protecting her. He was afraid that she'll make him her puppet like Katherine did, and then eventually he'd lose her. So instead, he cleared his throat and left the room.

* * *

"You know that what your brother is doing is against the law," Klaus stated, sitting on his chair next to Stefan. They were surrounded by human slaves, and Klaus snapped his fingers lightly and in a brief second, a young teenage girl was sitting on his lap, scared about his next move.

"Don't move, darling," He whispered in her ear, before grabbing her face and compelled her to stop squirming. He wrapped his hands around her waist as Stefan watched, his face blank and emotionless. "You see, Stefan, I don't handle doing the dirty work lightly. In fact, I want you to bring me the girl. I shouldn't chase what's mine, after all…Other people should serve me," He almost growled the last part, fury showing up in his features. Unconsciously, his fingers dug in the girl's skin and she yelped. Girls were always the victims when Klaus was mad.

"You know that I only serve you," Stefan said through clenched teeth. "That's a promise I made a long time ago, Klaus. As long as you keep yours," He clarified, looking at him sternly. "You know the reason why I accepted this in the first place."

Stefan's story was a bit complicated. After Katherine's death, his brother left him alone. Unable to cope with the guilt infested in his human heart, he gave it up to vampirism, becoming a great ripper. He was locked in a cycle of unpleasantness, one that he couldn't get out from. He would kill, rip and drink and then he would feel sorry, spend days without blood, and then he'd wake up with hunger worse than before and kill double the amount. And that was his terrible cycle for years, binge and purge so to speak. Becoming a ripper was unacceptable since it would lead the secret vampire hunter parties to Klaus and the only weapon in the world to kill him, so when Klaus sent for Stefan's brother Damon, he gave him an ultimatum: Either they start working for him, or he would kill Stefan. Damon, even though he was beyond mad after Stefan's betrayal, still couldn't let his brother die.

Working for Klaus was not a completely good experience, since vampires who worked with Klaus had more rules and less freedom. What Damon didn't know was that Stefan teamed up with Klaus against his back in search for the doppelganger, and that when Elena stepped in the house, Stefan had every intention in giving her to Klaus. After taking a sample of her blood to Klaus, Klaus realized that she was the Petrova heir and he wanted to make sure that she would be the last Petrova. Unfortunately, when he sent Stefan to deliver the doppelganger, Damon had already fled.

"Yes, of course," Klaus said, "And I intend to keep my promise. When I get my hands on the doppelganger, you'll get Katherine back."

"What are you going to do with the girl once you get her?" Stefan asked, mainly from curiosity.

"That is none of your business, I'm afraid, Stefan," Klaus said unapologetically. "Once you hand in the girl, the girl will be mine. And I intend to do whatever I please with her. You knew what you were signing in for when you said you'll help me get her."

"I didn't mean to pry," Stefan apologized. "Of course. I don't care about the girl."

"Good, that's what I like to hear from my favourite servant," Klaus smirked, and then he turned to the girl in his lap, who was still frozen. Although he had compelled her to stop moving, he could hear her heart beating fast, obviously having to show her fear in other ways.

"I've never seen this one before," Stefan stated, eyeing the girl.

"She's new. We brought her in yesterday," Klaus smirked, "Though I'm having second thoughts now whether or not I should sell her. She's…fun to be with." He turned to the girl and grinned, "Aren't you, sweetheart?"

She stood frozen as he ran his hands up and down her bare arm, before he placed a rough kiss on her neck. She tried to get free but he only enjoyed her struggles.

"Want a taste, Stefan?" Klaus offered, his face now turning to that of a demon.

Stefan didn't need to be told twice. He blurred, and both of them grabbed a fist of the girl's hair from each side of her head and sank their fangs into the delicate flesh. Ripping and tearing, sipping every last drop.

* * *

As she sat there writing her story, Elena couldn't help but think about Damon. She knew perfectly well that she was falling for him, more and more every day. But she couldn't admit it, because Damon would just hurt her and use her feelings against her. He would make her a weak girl, with no right to decide anything. It was unacceptable; she shouldn't have any feelings for the monster that took her freedom.

But then, she remembered the night before, the way her body had reacted to his touch and to his hungry kisses. She wanted him the night before, or at least her body did. It was true that she reacted the way she reacted, but she reacted that way because he had taken her off guard. He had thrown himself on her, not taking no for an answer and Elena considered that attempted rape. She couldn't handle much more. Truth be told, the way he had acted scared her, but something in her scolded her that she didn't give him a chance. Sure, he was drunk, and he was acting possessively, but she couldn't say she didn't enjoy his cool skin against hers, his mouth on her neck kissing her ever so softly but urgently, and the way he had captured her lips in a hungry kiss. It was something different than she expected. Elena had a boyfriend before, Matt, but his kisses never created things in her the way Damon did. Elena was a virgin; and she planned to keep it that way till she was really ready. But that night…She had wanted Damon. She wanted him, she wanted to become his. And if he hadn't caught her off guard like he did and approached her differently, not drunk she probably would have told him her feelings and given herself to him right then and there because she would've been unable to resist his temptation any longer once he said those words. He wanted her, that much she now knew and she liked that.

She felt him behind her before he spoke. She was used to him now. "Are you hungry?" He asked her.

"A little," Elena admitted.

"I'm ordering a pizza for you," He said, "Any preferences?"

"A plain pizza is good," Elena finished lamely. "On second thought, along with the pepperoni and cheese, I'd like bacon if it isn't too much trouble," She added.

"No, of course not." Damon forced a smile, however his demeanor changed. "I'm sure I don't have to warn you," Damon said, his eyes cold and menacing. "No funny business. In fact, you're going to stay inhere the entire time. Can I take your word for it or do I have to lock you in?"

"No, I'll be good, I promise," Elena said instantly.

He stroked her cheek. "Good girl. I'm taking your word for it. I don't wish to hurt anyone, and I am sure you don't want a dead person in your conscience." He gave her a knowing look. "Don't make me kill someone, Elena."

"I won't," Elena assured him.

…

She kept her promise, and when he told her to come down in the kitchen, he praised her for it, and told her that as long as she behaved, no one had to get hurt. She sat in silence, eating her pizza and he took a few slices for himself just to join her knowing full well Elena would not be able to eat a large pizza all by herself.

She stood up to do the few dishes and she expected him to leave, but he stood up and grabbed a teatowel himself.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked, puzzled.

"Helping you dry the dishes, of course." He stated as if it were the most common thing in the world.

"I thought vampires didn't dry dishes." She inquired.

"They do, when they're bored," Damon finished with a smug smile, and added mentally: or when they want to just be with someone.

She accepted the answer and filled the sink with warm, soapy water and added the dishes, scrubbing them for a few times before handing them to Damon. She took a glass and planned to do the same thing, when she suddenly yelped in pain, and the water turned pink. The glass apparently couldn't take much pressure and it instantly broke in half, making a huge cut in Elena's palm. Blood immediately started to pour out and it was more the fear of what Damon could do to her rather the cut itself.

His eyes had turned red, but she realized that he was shrugging it off immediately. He turned to her and immediately placed a piece of cloth on the cut, before bringing on his first aid kit and started to apply creams on it like nothing happened.

Elena could only stare in amazement as he cleaned her wound with care, and when he finished, he bandaged it neatly. "I don't understand," Elena said, "You didn't kill me."

"I have control over blood, Elena," Damon answered her. "It takes more than this to lose control with you." When he heard himself saying the words "with you" he instantly cursed mentally. Good, now he was becoming sloppy, that was not a good thing.

She was surprised that he didn't think of her as a warm meal, but she didn't say anything to avoid awkwardness.

"Does it still hurt?" Damon asked.

"No, thank you," She assured him, "You handled it well. How do you know this stuff?"

"I wanted to become a doctor when I was human," He said, turning away from her.

"Really?" Elena asked, amazed.

"Yeah," He replied, "I couldn't see myself as anything other than that. Things didn't go as I planned, though. Life never goes like we planned, Elena. Not even right now for me, even though I'm a vampire."

She wanted desperately to ask him how he turned, but she didn't dare. She couldn't talk to him about that, because she was afraid that she would like him somehow.

"Life is a mystery. They say death is a mystery, but I don't believe that," Damon continued. "Death is peaceful, kind. It is something that no one can explain. Life, on the other hand, can put you through so much that you don't even know who you are anymore. What you are." He grabbed her face and made her look at him. "I tell you one thing, though, no one asked to be like me. Not even the ones that begged to be turned. You're young and you can't understand, but I can, because I've lived long enough to understand that nobody in their right mind wants this."

* * *

Over the night, Elena thought a lot about Damon's words, about what he was trying to say. She just couldn't accept the fact that his character was based upon the difficult circumstances he had to encounter in his life. She couldn't understand that something that beautiful could also be that deadly. That's why she wanted to get out of there and far away from him as possible. She didn't want to escape because she was afraid that he'd kill or hurt her, not anymore. She was afraid that if she did stay, she'd grow attached to him.

She had barely finished that thought when she heard a small noise coming from the terrace. Her balcony led to the back terrace, and there, a man in his twenties was signaling something for her to understand. He was not standing far away, and she could hear him.

"I'm here to save you," He said, before he signaled for her to get inside her room. "Are you locked?"

"No," Elena whispered.

"Lock the door and step out in the balcony, next to the railing," He instructed, "I'll come and get you. Trust me." She hurriedly obeyed and locked the door with the key Damon had left her.

"Elena, you are going to have to trust me," The man whispered, "I need you to jump. I'll catch you." Fear took over Elena at the thought. She did not know that man.

"Trust me, Elena, Jenna sent me," The man continued, "I won't harm you. I'm going to take you home, and we are going to inform the police about this."

But for some reason, Elena had a bad feeling about this.

Counting to three in her head, Elena took a deep breath and jumped.

She felt panic in her body until she realized she was in the man's arms. Only when she opened her eyes, the man holding her was Damon Salvatore, and the man who was supposed to save her was lying on the floor, beheaded.

* * *

Feedback is love :D


	13. Chapter 13

A/N Courtney, thank you so much for beta-ing this. I know that you were busy so your work was appreciated more than usual haha ;) Thanks girl! Xxx

Off with the next chapter-Please Review!

* * *

Elena instinctively started to scream. The scene of the headless man in front of her was traumatizing. Never in her life had she seen something that terrifying. She pushed at Damon's chest, trying to get free, in fear that he'd kill her too. Damon's face was horrifying-It looked cold and screamed danger. His lips were pursed in a tight line and his eyes were cold and menacing. The Damon Elena seen every now and again was officially gone. His grip on her was not gentle, either and it scared her.

"Let me go!" She screamed, trying to fight him off again. It was a losing battle, obviously. She nearly choked on a scream when Damon put his hands on her mouth roughly, and spat on it only to infuriate Damon even more, "Don't even think about screaming…" He hissed.

His little threat shocked her, and tears immediately started to stream. She couldn't form any more words. She was traumatized.

He grabbed her face and transformed right in front of her, merely two inches away in front of her. At that, she started to scream harder, she had never been that close to him as a vampire. And now, he was just a hairsbreadth away, his red eyes piercing right through hers, and his fangs dangerously close to her neck.

There was rapid movement and Elena closed her eyes instinctively. She was still in his arms, and he was using his vampire speed. He threw her off and she braced herself for the fall, only when she opened her eyes, she found herself on a soft mattress. Her face filled with horror when she realized she was in a basement.

She prepared herself for the worst. What was he going to do to her? She remembered her last punishment. He had made her inferior to him, back then; he had seduced her and tied her up to his bed. What was he going to do to her now? He had warned her after all.

Thoughts of rape invaded her mind... Damon wouldn't dare do that, would he?

Her legs started to shake like jelly when she realized that he was still frozen as a statue, his eyes cold and menacing. They practically screamed danger and Elena shrunk in fear under his stare.

He blurred over to her, and Elena jerked back, trying to get away from him. Damon caught her wrists in an iron grip, and when she tried to stand up and run, he pulled her body to his, causing her to stumble backwards and fall. She tried to escape again, but Damon quickly had her pinned underneath him.

"Stop!" Elena pleaded as she pushed at his chest. "Let go of me!"

Instead, Damon grabbed her wrists and pinned them down next to her head. He was still on top of her, his knees holding hers securely in place. She was trapped-There was no way she could outrun him. Not that she ever had a chance to begin with.

"Do you know who that man was?" Damon yelled in her face, his veins still visible. "Do you know what he was?" He barked again, but Elena turned her head away, not wanting to listen to him.

At that, he let out a horrifying guttural sound and grabbed her face roughly to make her look at him. "What? Are you to scare to face me? Ashamed of what you did?" He continued to bark.

Elena was too scared to answer properly. Instead, she avoided his eyes and tried to stop crying and trembling.

"He was a fucking werewolf," Damon suddenly exploded. He officially went mad. He was laughing beyond evilly. "What? Did you think that someone just comes in the middle of nowhere and rescues you? Here, about 100 miles away from Mystic Falls? Did you think he was going to be your white knight? Elena, there are people out there who just love to take you with them and make you do things you won't even imagine."

He paused, letting her process the words. "Wordless, now, aren't we? You should be thanking me right now. If I let him take you, you…"

"What? I would have ended up as a prisoner again? I thought I already was!" Elena screamed back. "What am I to you? I'm just a toy; you'll never see me as anything else. You'll always look at me as a possession, no matter how gentle you try to be!" She looked at him with her doe eyes filled with hate and anger. "And I was stupid to think otherwise."

At that, Damon stopped. "What do you mean by that?" His voice was calmer now, but still demanding.

"Nothing, Damon, just forget it," Elena snapped, still looking at him with anger in her eyes.

"No," Damon growled, blurring in front of her.

"It's nothing, Damon!" Elena yelled again, "Except that you confuse me! At times you're so sweet and almost kind and then at other times you seem like this different person who looks at me like a possession! I don't want this, do you understand? And what are we waiting for exactly? When are you going to finish off what you started? It's been weeks, Damon, weeks of pure torture…Every morning I wake up in fear that this is the day you'll just blow up and I die."

Damon could not stomach to answer her, because in reality, he had no suitable answer for her. What could he tell her? That he was keeping her there because he just wanted a companion? Because he was sick and tired of feeling alone? Or maybe she was the key for him to figure out what he wanted, and choose kindness against pride? But no. He didn't know how to show his said affection. He lashed out at her whenever he realized he was becoming too 'friendly'. He knew his mood swings were causing her whiplash but it was all he knew... as unfortunate as that trait was. His vampire ego couldn't tell her those things. He couldn't tell her that he needed her. She wouldn't return the feelings ... that he was almost certain of.

Clearly he's wrong...

Instead, he stood up without a word, and locked the door behind him. He needed to be alone. He needed to rethink his motives, and what the hell his next move was. He couldn't continue to hurt and scare Elena. He just couldn't. He didn't dare ask himself why.

* * *

He had just downed his third glass of Scotch and he still could hear her sobs. He tried to shut her out, but he couldn't because even though he was not willing to admit it, Elena had gotten under his skin. He was considering setting her free but he just couldn't. She was a challenge; she was something he couldn't have at a snap of the fingers. And he usually took what he wanted. No, this Elena girl was a challenge; he had to slip down his façade to reach her. Plus, as selfish as it was, he couldn't let her go, for his tiny shred of humanity's sake.

He wanted to hurt her for trying to escape. He really did-but he just couldn't stomach to inflict any kind of physical pain on her. He didn't know why.

He was unaware of the weeks that were slipping by at a fast pace. But she wasn't, obviously. She was locked, she was kidnapped. A prisoner. And every time the man in him decided to be sweet and gentle, the demon in him scared the hell out of her, ruining every progress the man had made, and eventually making Elena hate him again. It was a tiring continuous cycle, a one they were both well sick of. How could she not? He was a murderer, a monster. He had hurt and scared her. She had every right to hate him but yet, she's forgave him countless times without thinking because she dreamed -wished- hoped he had changed. And for a while he would, but then he would snap thus ruining their petite amount of progress.

But the rage he felt was unexplainable. The thought of Elena jumping out of that balcony and being in another man's arms made him cringe. He knew Brady; he knew what he was and what he was looking for. Brady was one of Klaus's most trusted circles; he knew that Klaus needed the doppelganger. What he didn't know was how Brady had figured out that Elena was with him. The things Brady would've done to Elena were extremely unpleasant. He knew Brady's ways; he knew how he treated human girls. He hated humans after what they had done to his ancestors. It was because of them that the entire village of werewolf packs was destroyed. The thought of Elena becoming Brady's pet slave made his stomach churn. She would've probably been delivered to Klaus, then, after he had tortured and played with her mind and emotions. No, no one could touch his little human.

* * *

Elena sobbed in the darkness. Why was she feeling this way? She had been feeling this…desire in her heart whenever Damon was near, whenever he was so nice and gentle towards her. What was wrong with her? She was now even beginning to be drawn to him when he was harsh toward her, oddly enough.

Even a few minutes earlier, when he had pinned her to the ground…She wanted to pull his face to hers and kiss him. It was ironic and twisted, but she had wanted him. She had wanted him for so long, but she was afraid. This was not normal. This was not her. The real Elena Gilbert would've hated him for doing this to her. Simple.

She was confused about what she was crying for. Was she crying because she had been caught trying to escape, or because Damon was upset with her? Because now she had watched the sweet and caring Damon go? He would be mad with her now, there was no way he would treat her the same way. This was not the Damon she liked.

* * *

"Brady has not yet returned," Klaus announced to Luna, a female werewolf who was more or less, Klaus's servant. "Did he contact you?"

"No, sir," Luna said, shaking her head. "I told you that we should travel in a pack, master."

"Well, I didn't think it was appropriate!" He snapped, "Now, go away."

Luna's eyes widened as she scurried off immediately, and Klaus sat on his chair and buried his face in his hands. A hundred years passed and he still couldn't get hands on the doppelganger. His mother's curse on him was big. He was not willing to let history repeat itself. It had already happened with Katherine and it didn't end up well. He would not let a silly teenage human get in the way.

* * *

One week had passed since Elena tried to escape. But that week felt like two years in the cold basement Elena was locked in. She was not seeing Damon much; he usually came to wake her up in the morning and to leave a tray of food in the evening. But Elena was not eating anything. She missed the Damon that talked to her about his past, the Damon that let her go outside. When she had asked him to free her from the basement, he had refused, saying that if she didn't learn to respect him, he wouldn't respect her. Ever since then, Elena had fallen into a depression, and she refused to eat or do anything. She had dropped ten pounds easily. Damon would have noticed, had he let her out of the basement and pay any attention to her...

Every time Damon came to pick up the tray, he would stare at her for a few minutes, but she always sat with her back turned to him. One day, she had felt him stroke the side of her face with his finger when he had brought her a bottle of water, but she didn't acknowledge his presence. She couldn't.

"That's it," He snapped one day. "If you're not going to eat, I'm going to start forcing food down your throat."

"Why does it bother you that I'm not eating?" Elena asked indifferently. "I can be replaced. I'm just a human."

"Because if you don't, you'll get sick and die. You're already pining away to nothing. Don't think for a second I haven't noticed. "

"And why do you care?" Elena whispered viscously through clenched teeth. "Maybe that's what I want-to die. It would be better than being a prisoner in this hellish life I now live."

"Don't you fucking say that. You are in NO way, any use to me dead." Damon growled, roughly placing the dish on the mattress. "If it weren't for your foul behavior, I wouldn't have to do this. Now, shut up and kindly eat your food."

"I'm not hungry."

"Elena, if you don't obey me, I can very easily make you…agreeable," Damon threatened. "I already did it to you and I won't hesitate to do it again. So, let's try again, Elena. Please, eat your food."

He handed her the plate and waited patiently for her to take it. Resigned, Elena took it and had a forkful of spaghetti. Damon smiled, feeling victorious and simply content that for once, she was doing what he asked. He watched as she twisted the spaghetti around her fork, and ate the food slowly without looking at him.

"Good?" He asked in the nicest voice he had spoken all day.

She nodded. It was useless staying mad at him. He would just force her to talk. "Did you make this?"

"No," He admitted, "Andy did."

"Andy?" Elena asked curiously.

"She's my housekeeper. I call her every now and then." Damon simply said not thinking much of it.

She scoffed. He knew what this meant-He called her every time he wanted a woman to sleep with and suck on. That was obvious.

"It's my nature, Elena," Damon rolled his eyes. "I like it. It's part of who I am. Let's take you, for instance, are you feeling sorry for that cow that died to provide you with the minced meat?" His tone was so mocking and taunting that Elena wanted to throw the dish at him. But, for her own sake, she simply ignored him and continued to eat in silence.

Damon smiled, knowing that he had won.

"Does…Andy know about me?" She gulped, asking each word slowly. "And about you?"

"She's compelled to keep my secret," Damon answered her shortly.

She just stared at him blankly, before she handed in her plate.

"Do you need something else?" He asked her, before standing up and studying her face.

"No, I'm fine." She forced a small smile.

He sighed and grabbed her arm, pulling her off the floor. "You can go back to your bedroom now, if you like."

He exited the room and left the door open, waiting for her to follow.

She slowly and hesitantly followed him, waiting for something-anything-to happen.

"I'm sorry for trying to escape," She said, the words escaping her mouth before she could control them. She was apologizing for trying to escape? What the hell was wrong with her?

Damon too seemed surprised by this. He turned back to her, studying her.

"Look, I'm not saying that I don't want to return to my family," Elena explained, "But every time I look at you…I see something in you. Like protectiveness that is trying to surge up inside you but you never give it the chance. But I can feel it in you, I don't know how, I just do. I can't read your mind, but I can read your thoughts by just looking at your face. I can see that there is the man and there is the monster in you, and each one of them wants dominance. But it's you who have to decide. Your actions, your choices…those are what make you suffer the consequences or gain a prize."

She hesitantly took a few steps towards him. "Just be free, Damon…Let the man take over."

"Elena, I cease to believe in happiness," He sighed, and she saw the obvious pain and anger he felt. This man had been through something, she was sure of that. Something had hurt him in the past, and it had left an impact on him, making him cold-hearted. "Happiness is just a sick, twisted fantasy. Do you believe in happiness, Elena? What are the things that can truly make you happy? Nothing does, because the things that, according to people, make you happy are just an illusion that lasts for no more than several minutes."

"It's not true. Love makes you happy, and family too…I think it's already enough."

He scoffed. "Love? Family?" He let out a bitter laugh. "If you knew what I had to go through, Elena, you wouldn't blame me. There is no love, and there is no such thing as family. Only obsession and insanity-And possession. There is no love; love is just a different word for claim-the desire to have someone and to make them yours forever."

She wanted to correct him, but she couldn't. Because that was the way he saw the world, and she couldn't really blame him. Walking on earth for over a hundred years maybe had given him a reason to think that way.

"But I do know what makes me frustrated," He said, taking a few steps towards her. "You don't know what it's like to love someone and get your heart shattered, and to trust someone and it just…blows up in your face. But most of all, Elena-" He paused to swallow and run his fingers through her silky hair. "You don't know what it's like, to have something beautiful and shining, just out of reach."

It took her a full second to realize that he was talking about her, and then the butterflies starred fluttering in her belly.

"I say that I can't be truly happy again, that I can't…_like_ a human, but then you come into my life and you give me a book full of unanswered questions, about me, about what I want and what I believe…And then everything I just said about happiness doesn't even make sense anymore. How do you do that, Elena?"

She opened her mouth to answer him, but no words came out. She was completely breathless and confused. Did he just admit that he liked her? That he saw her more than just an object?

"Damon, I…" She stammered, looking down.

"Tell me," He said, holding her chin up gently to look him in the eye. "Just be honest with me."

"I don't know what I should tell you," Elena said, tears brimming in her eyes. "What do you want from me?"

"I just want you to admit it. I need to hear you say it. If you can't tell me that you want me, just tell me what's scaring you." He whispered, he was extremely vulnerable right now and her next words frightened him.

"Damon, I can't…You scare me in ways that aren't even explainable. You are confused yourself; you have feelings you have yet to discover…I can't be the one to make the choice for you." She knew perfectly well that if she told him what she was feeling, it would only make him more confused, and therefore he would say yes for the pleasure of simply achieving what he wanted. No, this was not what she wanted. She didn't want him to see her as a plaything. She was human, and she deserved better than being treated like a meal or a toy.

His hands reached to cup her face, and his finger softly stroked her cheek. His heart couldn't take this. "When I look at you…" He paused to grab the back of her neck, "I feel things-Things that cannot be explained."

He continued to trail his fingers down her face. "I feel warmth inside me. I shouldn't feel that Elena... it isn't in me to feel."

His finger reached out to pull her lower lip before trailing down her neck, softly touching her sweet, irresistible skin. "My body throbs with desire."

He closed the distance between them, and looked deeply in her eyes. "I see innocence..."

Damon realized that he was close to her now, and there was no way of going back. The next word that came out of his mouth was desperate. "Elena…"

She ran the little distance they had between them and went straight into his arms. No matter how much he tried to control, his arms just naturally wrapped against her waist, pulling her tighter to him, as her lips were on his, moving softly and rhythmically. It felt good. He had kissed and screwed lots of women in his life, but nothing had ever been like this. Her hands found their way into his hair, gripping it tightly and messing it in the process.

He let out a noise-between a growl and a sigh-and pressed her up against the wall. He kissed her lips softly before he reached her neck, and opened his mouth to give her a love-bite, nothing more, it was too soon. His human teeth nibbled on her neck before he kissed the marks to soothe them. Everywhere he touched, her skin turned red and he immediately realized that he was being too rough with her, and he eased his grip on her a tiny bit as he continued to shower her in kisses. She didn't seem to mind his roughness, in fact; it turned her on even more. That he was sure of.

But as she panted against his neck and his hands were all around him, Damon instantly realized another thing Elena made him feel.

Pain.

* * *

**With "His Vampire Heart" and "Safe in Your Arms" coming to an end soon, I'm gonna have more time to update this! So pls be good and review!**


	14. Chapter 14

A/N I had a major writer's block on this one but I'm glad I waited because I loved how this chapter turned out.

**That being said, Cdaye8184 (Who also beta this, thanks so much honey!) and I are co-writing a story "What Lies Beneath." The story's on her profile, and we are having fun writing it. If you want, you can check it out.**

**Also, as another note, I started a new story called "My last chance in saving my humanity" and it is something different than I usually do. I appreciate your support since there are lovely reviewers here, and I'd like to hear from them again in other stories. Your reviews are what encourage me to write.**

**Thank You, and once again, thanks Courtney! :)**

* * *

They were completely breathless, both of them. It had been so long since he had felt this close to someone, and Elena had never felt such passion before. He still had her against the wall, and she was using it as leverage to wrap her legs around his slim waist. His lips were locked with hers and Damon could not understand how a girl who was so young could make him feel the things he was feeling now.

But the heart ache and the feeling of trying to love again was heightening. He had been hurt, he had been used. He knew how to love, because if he didn't, he wouldn't have spent a hundred years searching for a way to free Katherine, even after what she did to him. Elena was raising things in him that Katherine had raised when he fell in love with her. He couldn't let his heart get broken again. He had to be cautious and protect it.

But he couldn't pull away from her no matter how much he wanted to. Instead, he fumbled with her gown, and looked in her eyes for permission. He saw no hesitation, no fear, just trust. Trust and desire. And that's exactly what he wanted to give her.

He knew that she deserved an explanation, the truth. But he also knew that he wasn't sure if he'll be able to love and be faithful. It was a selfish thing that he was going to sleep with her before explaining himself but he simply did not want to lose her.

He picked her up and twirled her in circles around the room, before blurring to his bedroom where he laid her; very gently. He gave her a light kiss on the lips before stroking her cheek, and after one last confirmation he unzipped the nightgown, before taking off his own clothing.

Elena gasped at the sensation of having his hands roaming around her bare body and she welcomed it, enjoying every bit of attention he was giving her.

She felt that she was at home.

* * *

When Elena opened her eyes, it was about midnight. She was in Damon's arms, covered only by the white sheets. She squirmed in his grasp, trying to turn around so that she could watch him sleep for a few moments. He was so peaceful and beautiful lying there, his arms still holding her closely, his face simply calm and at rest. She knew that what she did was wrong; she had not only given her virginity up but also given it to someone who was by all means, damned.

"Hey, baby," Damon's eyes half opened and his arms tightened around her, pulling her close enough to place a kiss on the top of her head.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to wake you up."

"I wasn't in a deep sleep, don't worry," He smiled, stroking her hair.

"Oh, good," Elena said nervously as she buried her face in his chest.

They laid there for a few minutes before Elena spoke up again. "Damon?"

He looked down at her. "Yes?"

"I just want you to know that this night…It changed everything for me. This night was amazing and what we did…I felt closer to you. I just wanted to know if you're feeling the same things, and if I mean to you like you mean to me…" She swallowed soundly, and finished lamely, "I just want to mean something to you, even after tonight. Anything."

He looked sincerely into her eyes. "Elena, I've lived on this earth for over a hundred years. I've been put through so much, but I just want you to know that I care about you. Very much. And I promise that I will take good care of you, and make sure that you won't ever get hurt."

He nodded without saying a word, but he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him straight in the eyes. "I want you to tell me that you're happy here, with me. I just want you to be happy."

Elena couldn't stomach to answer him, because despite everything she was feeling towards him, she still missed her family and the outdoors. She just wished that they could be together like a normal couple.

He seemed to be waiting for an answer, but when she didn't reply he took a deep breath. "The werewolf was sent by Klaus, Elena. I'm keeping you here for a reason."

"Klaus?" Elena's eyes widened. "The same Klaus in my dreams?"

"I've been in your dreams, so yes," Damon said sadly.

"What does he want with me?" She asked alarmingly.

"Klaus is a hybrid, Elena. He had a curse put on him for several years and managed to break it. What he didn't know was that he was going to be alone for all eternity because the only one who could create more hybrids was the same person he had to kill for the sacrifice."

Elena looked up at him, confused. "What sacrifice?"

Damon poured a glass of bourbon for himself and a glass of red wine for Elena.

"In order to break the curse, Klaus sacrificed three species. The first one was a doppelganger." He let the words sink in before he continued, "He also had to sacrifice a werewolf and a vampire, from both species."

"So what does that make Klaus?" Elena asked with wide eyes. "A werewolf, or a vampire?"

"He's both," Damon explained. "A hybrid, meaning a mixture of both. After the sacrifice took place, he became a hybrid. What he didn't know was that the doppelganger's blood was the only way to create more hybrids. Since he had killed her to complete the sacrifice, he was going to be alone for eternity."

"Oh my God," Elena gasped in disbelief, unable to form any words until a thought crossed her mind. "But, what about me? I don't even know this man…"

"Elena," Damon explained calmly, grabbing her face. "You are the second doppelganger, which means that Klaus will come for you. And when he does, you'll have to live under his care for all your life. He wouldn't let go of the only way to create other monsters. He'll torture you; he'll kill your family in front of you. I'm trying to protect you, Elena. It's true…at first I wanted to give you up but now things changed. And the only way to keep you safe is to keep you here."

"Why did you want to give me up?" Elena asked, ignoring his last sentence.

"Elena, it's not important right now." He told her; trying to make her understand.

"No, there had to be an incentive, something involved," Her face turned dark with anger.

"It doesn't matter, Elena. Things changed." Damon repeated.

"It matters to me!" She snapped. "I've been attached to you since the moment I came in here. I felt drawn to you in a minute. Was that your plan? To make me love you and then make my life a living hell?" Elena ran her hands through her messy hair.

"Elena…" He started to say desperately, but he bit his tongue when he thought about her words. "Did you just say that you love me?"

Elena flushed red. "No!"

"You can't take it back. I heard you." Damon whispered; feeling a thousand emotions shoot through him.

"Well, I started to fall in love with you!" She said with angry tears in her eyes. "But I realized right now that it's because of you I'm in this crap. I'm young, Damon, I'm supposed to hit the clubs not stay in a house because someone wants to make me a monster machine."

He tried to touch her, to soothe her, but there were no words to comfort her. He had no idea what to say.

"I'm sorry, Elena," He said sincerely. "I shouldn't have taken you from the very beginning. I was just so selfish."

"Just tell me," She begged, "What is it? Why did you really take me?"

He sat down next to her and sighed. "I'm going to tell you a story."

"I want nothing more from you than the truth." Elena mumbled; not ready to hear anything else.

"And I'm going to tell you the truth," Damon assured her, clearing his throat. "Last time, I told you that I had fallen in love with a poor girl, Ruth. After Ruth and her family left town, I felt lonely. I spent a lot of time working since I had a job in a local bar. When I wasn't called for war, I used to spend days either working or drinking." He sighed, putting the glass of bourbon away. He didn't need the extra memories.

"I returned home half-drunk once when I saw my father outside talking to a woman. This woman had just arrived in a carriage, and she was beautiful and educated. She was originally from Bulgaria but she had moved to England after the loss of her family in a tragic fire. Apparently, she wanted to start a new life in America and my father took her in. I could feel her gazing at me from where I was-drunk, hidden behind a tree-and I grew mesmerized by her."

"I remember that night I tried to pull myself together and I went to talk to her after I invited her to the gardens. She seemed so nice and shy, and I grew attached to her right at that very moment. Her name was Katherine Pierce." He glanced at Elena who was simply glaring at him; listening.

He swallowed. "Months passed and we spent a lot of time together. I started to forget about Ruth and I was ready to tell her I loved her. I opened up to Stefan about her and I told him how much she meant to me. I didn't tell my father, in fear that he'll screw up things. He never agreed with me on anything, and I did not want to lose Katherine."

His eyes looked pained as he braced himself for what was coming next. "I remember I went into town and bought her a ring. Even though I was short on money because I wasn't working a high pay job, I still got her the most beautiful ring they had. I did not want to ask my father for money, even though we were rich."

Elena couldn't help but smile. "You were a sweetie-pie."

He sighed. "I returned at night and planned to give it to her and tell her to marry me. My father was out of town for a while and I thought that I'd propose. Instead, when I returned, I heard moans of satisfaction coming from her mouth, and I opened her bedroom door in anger and rage. But those emotions changed to hurt and betrayal when I realized that the man that she was with was my brother. I just broke down and left. I couldn't stand their faces." Damon turned away from Elena; not wanting her to see how much it hurt him to relive it.

Elena's mouth was open in shock. How could a person do that to their own sibling?

"I travelled abroad and went to Europe, trying to forget about them. After a year, I lost my money and I had to return home. I felt so angry when I saw Stefan with her. The night that I returned, she had the guts to taunt and seduce me again." He said bitterly. "I was in my bedroom and she came to explain herself. She started to kiss me and then I felt her shove her wrist in my mouth, and then I felt a sharp pain in my neck."

"She was a vampire? She turned you, just like that?" Elena gasped.

"Yes," Damon replied. "Just like that, no remorse, no kindness…nothing." He cleared his throat again. "As a vampire, my traits magnified. I realized that she had turned my brother as well and we spend months playing this sick game, both trying to make her ours. She wanted us both, and she kept hurting us. Then one night, we heard a scream and then my brother and I saw her being taken away. It was Klaus."

"We did everything in our power to save her, but it was then that the trouble began. Stefan got addicted to blood, and Klaus had quickly informed us that he had killed Katherine…the doppelganger he needed."

He looked into her eyes, begging for her understanding.

"Katherine? Katherine was the one he killed?" Elena shouted, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Elena…" Damon began.

"You told me that he needs the second doppelganger," Elena continued, "You're telling me that I am the doppelganger of your ex-lover?"

"Elena, I'm so sorry…I never meant to hurt you." He told her honestly.

"You're sorry? You used me!" She screamed, "I'm nothing to you, am I? I'm just a substitute-You hoped to find the love you didn't find in Katherine in me! But guess what, Damon, I'd rather die!"

"Elena, you don't understand, there's more…". She cut him off.

"I'm not interested!" She barked back. "Get the hell away from me. I don't want to see you. This…This was all a mistake."

* * *

"Stefan?" The British voice hollered.

"Yes, Klaus?"

"Your brother's obsession with my doppelganger is becoming a little dangerous," Klaus looked at the woman in his lap and he started to trace her jaw as a method to calm himself down. "I have eyes on him everywhere, Stefan. I think it is time that I interfere."

"What is he saying, then?" Stefan asked casually.

"He informed the girl about my plans. She knows that I'd come for her sooner or later," Klaus's face turned red with fury. "I think it is time that I teach my little doppelganger a lesson, don't you think?"

"I don't understand. The girl's yours, and you know where she is, apparently. Why not claim her?" Stefan asked.

Because I like to play with my toys before I inflict on them the pain they deserve," Klaus smirked. "What do you say about taking my place for a while? You can run this place-Just take care of Lilith here for me." He put a kiss on the woman's cheek and rubbed his face against hers. "She's very obedient, aren't you, love?"

She nodded and he stroked her hair. "That's my girl."

"Are you serious?" Stefan asked. "Take your place?"

"Yes," Klaus repeated. "For a few weeks, or months, perhaps. It depends on the fun."

"But where are you going?" Stefan asked.

"Uh-oh," Klaus smirked, "No questions, Stefan. Are you ready to take my place, until I make sure that I play with my toys?"

"Yes," Stefan replied. "You can count on me."

Klaus let out an evil laugh. "Game on, Damon."

* * *

**For the sake of the story, Katherine could be sacrificed as a vampire-doppelganger.**

**Please Review ;)**


	15. Chapter 15

**A HUGE thanks to Cdaye8184 for the work she did on this chapter-I wasn't so pleased with what I wrote but she turned it into a great chapter! Thank you honey!**

**I might have said it a thousand times but Courtney and I are writing a DELENA story based on Beauty and The Beast. The story is on Cdaye8184's profile and it's called "What Lies Beneath", there's also a link to the story on mine. Please check it out, it's our first colab story.**

**Also, Thank You for helping me reach 200 on this, it means a lot to me.**

**Happy Reading!**

* * *

"Elena, please let me explain. I never meant to hurt you!" He ran after her and grabbed her wrists but she slapped him across the face with all her strength. If this was what it felt like to feel a stab of pain, he sure as hell was feeling it for the first time. And to be honest, it fucking sucked!

"Don't touch me!" She screamed causing Damon to flinch but in an instant, she was in Damon's arms again. The monster had her captured in his warm and gentle embrace. He wrapped his arms around her middle, hoping to calm her as she broke down, crying. It was all he knew, he didn't know how else to coo her-to soothe her.

"Why did you do this to me?" She said between sobs. "I don't deserve this. This is a mistake, this was all a mistake. I hate you and I don't want to see you!" She shoved him away from her and ran up the stairs.

Damon heard the door slam shut and it was then that he realized that he lost her. There was no question to it. She hated him. He shivered at the words she spoke merely a few seconds ago. Why did he have to go and screw things up again after things were slowly progressing? Why?

* * *

"Thank you for coming, ladies and gentlemen," Sheriff Forbes raised from her seat when the mayor entered the room, and she shook his hands before instructing him to sit down.

"Two animal attacks in one week," She cleared her throat and eyed every member, searching their faces for different reactions. "The victims were drained of blood and the bodies were left there next to the river, in both cases. The victims' necks were mauled and there were no signs of struggle..." The sheriff didn't get to say anything else before she was loaded down with a million questions all at once.

"Do you think it's a vampire attack, Liz?" The mayor asked. "Vampires usually cover their tracks."

"Is it a werewolf?" A man called out.

"Vampires are back in Mystic Falls?" Another man piped up.

"It could be anybody!" A woman shrieked.

Liz ignored all comments and focused on the mayor's question. "Yes, but rippers don't," she answered simply as the babbling between the council members began.

"What are rippers?" She heard one of them whispering.

"Rippers are vampires that are so high on human blood that they don't even care about covering their tracks or trying to be…civil. They seem to want to be found, they're that obvious. They don't care about anything or anyone. This is a picture of one of the most dangerous rippers in the 1950s." She handed them a black and white photo taken back in the early 1900s.

"Stefan Salvatore?" A strawberry blonde asked. "He used to live here in Mystic Falls with his uncle Zach. I've never suspected anything."

"Neither did I, until I saw the footage of their uncle's death." Sherriff Forbes admitted. "Then, I did some research and I found this picture, taken in the early 1900s."

"Their uncle died by a heart attack, though."

"In the footage, Stefan was there, looking the same. He hasn't aged a day. I knew the Salvatores, if I am right, then Stefan also has a brother, Damon. He's been to Mystic Falls and resided in the boarding house for a few times, but nothing more. This," She said referring to the photo. "Is proof he is a vampire. This photo was taken over a hundred years ago and there's no way a relative can look this identical to their ancestors. When you think of it, he kept quiet; unnoticed. That's what we should have been looking for. But…" She took a deep breath before proceeding. "That is not the reason we're all here tonight. That's another argument for another time. That's another _discussion_ for another time." The sheriff explained. "However, the main reason I brought you here tonight is because of Elena Gilbert's case."

"Elena Gilbert's disappearance?" The strawberry blonde asked again. "That's not council work, though."

"According to these tracks, it is," She held the pictures taken at the beach where Elena was last seen so that everybody could see them. "The tracks start here however they end right here." She pointed to specific destinations. "It can't be a human thing, because obviously, no human can fly. There are no tracks of either Elena Gilbert's shoes or the captor's after the end of the last track. However, she couldn't just vanish in the thin air."

"It still doesn't make it a vampire problem though, Miss Forbes," Mayor Lockwood said again.

"Yes, but it makes it another supernatural occurrence. Therefore, I believe it is the Council's duty to investigate this case. And I think we owe it to Grayson to look into this. He helped this council out so much." Liz stated, knowing that with this bit of sympathetic information, she had the council's attention.

* * *

Damon entered her bedroom slowly. He was worried that he'd scare her if he advanced on her too fast, so instead he leaned against her door and spoke gently. "Elena, you have to let me explain."

"I don't want to hear it," She snapped at him, her eyes red from tears and fury. "I should have known better. I shouldn't have thought any differently."

At that, she heard a low growl coming from his lips. He blurred next to her and pulled the covers off her, before grabbing her arm and forcing her to sit down. The gloves were off now, he was done hearing her insults. "When I say you are to listen, I mean it," Damon spat, but it only disgusted her even more because she turned her face away from him.

Roughly, he grasped her chin and made her look at him. "Stop acting like a child right now, Elena. I honestly don't mean to snap at you but you make it so hard that I can't help it. I'm like a can under pressure, you can only push and taunt me so far. I'm trying to talk normally to you, I want you to here me out." His voice was stern, no friendliness left whatsoever.

She stopped at the firmness of his voice and shot him death glares.

"It wasn't my plan to…sleep with you either. Hell, I wasn't even supposed to keep you." He instantly regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. He knew she'd take it the wrong way. Of course she did.

"Keep me?" She scoffed, "I am not your fucking slave, Damon. You do not own me, no matter how much you think you do."

"Thought I did," Damon corrected her, trying to keep himself calm. "But not anymore. You're not an object, you can't be owned. You know I care about you."

"You care about me?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "You just wanted my body. You just wanted it because I looked like her. Congratulations, Damon, you got your wish. Thankfully, you got to my body before you got to my heart." It hurt her to say it as much as it hurt him to hear it. Although he didn't know this, but it was a lie. She had already lost her heart to him, it was too late. But she'd be damned if she'd let him know that...

She tried to get away from him, but he didn't let her. "I know it's hard to understand, Elena, but I don't see Katherine in you. Not anymore. What we shared last night was real, Elena. It was selfish of me to sleep with you before telling you about her but I can damn guarantee you that it was real." His grip was firm on both sides of her shoulders. "I know this is hard for you to understand and your mind is screaming at you to run and ignore me but I'm telling you to fight that. I need you to listen to me. Because I care about you too much to loose you, Elena. You are Elena to me. Not Katherine. You are everything she isn't. You are all the amazing things she was not."

He held her gaze before he leaned forward to play with a stray piece of hair. "You're so different. Physically not so much, maybe, though your hair is lighter," Damon noted, twirling the soft curls. "But from the inside you are the complete opposite. You care about people; you see the good in everybody, even me. I know not right now but you did. I'm sure of it. And that's what I'm fighting for, Elena. Please understand this!" He cried, not knowing how else to express himself.

"I don't understand, Damon," Elena said, holding back tears. "Do you care about _Elena_ at all? Is there a place for me in your life? Will you just turn your back on me someday and start seeing me as the substitute?"

"Elena, I care about you. I just explained to you how much you truly mean to me." Damon said desperately. "It's hard for you to understand but I do. I care about you so much, and I don't want anyone to hurt you. I want to protect you from myself too, though. You don't understand what you can do tome." He grabbed her hand softly and continued, "When we're arguing, your heart beats faster and your cheeks just turn red. You have the habit of constantly twirling your hair nervously when you talk to me. These things drive me crazy. You have no idea what these things do to a vampire, but most importantly, you have no idea of what these things do to a man." He inhaled deeply even though his body had no desire for the oxygen but it was his coping method. "You make the man in me come through, Elena. Nobody else has. You are special. You are perfection." The last words were merely a whisper but he seen her features change. He seen her body relax and he could practically read her body; she had accepted his words. She had forgiven him, he was sure of it.

He half consciously started to trace her facial features with his cool fingers. She shivered as he drew round circles on her cheek and then pulled at her lower lip gently. He closed the distance between them, and waited for her approval before kissing her slowly, passionately. She fought the urge to tell him to stop. She wanted to, because she didn't want to be won back so easily but she already knew there was no point in fighting. She couldn't, because his kiss confused her and made her a prisoner. He could claim her with just a little kiss, he could make her feel things she never felt before with one simple touch. It was strange, but he did make her feel alive. And quite frankly, she loved it. She loved the way he body ignited to his touch, the way flames sparked throughout her body from his voice. Her body responded to his in all the perfect ways.

She didn't even realize that he had her pinned underneath him until she felt his strong arms holding her wrists tight above her head. His grip was gentle but firm, and she knew that she'd still find bruises in the morning. But none of that mattered, as long as he was with her.

God, he had her all messed up.

So when he kissed every inch of her body, Elena didn't protest. She had been defeated. She had forgiven him. She knew he was telling the truth. Hell, why would he lie about his feelings? And he had always been the kind of person to tell the truth. She could see why he had hesitated to tell her about her significance to Katherine and she accepted it, knowing full well she could not lose this amazing man, yes man; because of a simple mistake.

She screamed her approval when he undressed her and the playful kisses turned more firm; eager. He made her feel things she never thought she'd feel with a vampire, a supposedly soulless monster.

* * *

"You owe me," Klaus said in a controlled voice. "I need your help, witch. You better pay up."

"Niklaus, I'm trying to get my life back, I haven't touched magic for so long, please…" The woman begged.

"Gloria," Klaus said firmly, "You will help me. If you don't, I'll kill your daughter. It's your choice."

"Don't even dare mention my daughter…" She warned.

"I have my… colleagues on your porch, Gloria. Don't let me wake a little girl up, they need their rest." Klaus answered so casually. He didn't have a heart, that much was certain.

"I'll help you," Gloria said with tears in her eyes. "Send your friends away from my house."

"Yes, after you pay up," Klaus barked, "Now stop trying to be difficult. I need to perform a spell, and it involves going out of my body. I know you performed these spells before, and I want you to do the same now."

"You want to switch bodies?" Gloria asked, puzzled.

"Yes." Klaus replied.

"You'll need something of the other person," Gloria explained. "Bring me something of theirs and I can perform your spell."

"I'll have the items by tomorrow night." He agreed, nodding his head and smiling evilly.

* * *

"Did you try using your powers again?" Elena's head rested on Damon's chest and he stroked her bare arm slowly.

"I tried telekinesis," Elena admitted, "Didn't get farther than opening the door. I used to be better at this." She sighed, snuggling into the crook of Damon's neck.

"What about telepathy?" He asked.

"Nothing. I'm blank." She muttered into his neck. That had also upset her. For as long as she could remember after the accident, she had no problem with telekinesis or telepathy.

"Elena, maybe it isn't such a bad thing that you're power-less," Damon explained, "With powers comes responsibility."

"I know," She sighed. "I just…I feel bare."

"Understand," Damon nodded, kissing her neck before giving her a gentle nip. "Just know that I'll help you through everything. I hope you won't see yourself as prisoner."

She sighed. "I can't say it's easy, but let me tell you this: I'll try if you try, okay?"

"Okay, princess. Of course." He smiled and kissed her hair. He could honestly say for once, he was happy.

* * *

**Feedback Is love!**


	16. Chapter 16

A/N I'm lost without my beta-Thanks so much, Courtney! You're the best ;)

Thanks for reviewing, readers! :3

* * *

Damon woke up with his arms wrapped tightly around Elena. Stretching a little because of his aching shoulder since Elena had slept all night on it, he slowly shifted so that he could see if she was asleep.

Her hair was tousled and her eyes were closed, and she simply looked at peace. There were no signs of fear, any anger or hurt in her eyes, because she was in another world. He fought the urge to get inside her head just to know what she was dreaming about but he decided against it. He couldn't violate her mind if she was willing to make them work. And he wanted this relationship to work. He knew that he couldn't love her yet, but he was feeling attracted to her and that attraction was making him protect her, and be there for her.

He still remembered it clearly, the day Klaus came for Katherine and sacrificed her for his curse. He remembered how Klaus had dragged Katherine's body in the tomb and he was unable to save her, because he was still a weak, measly human. It ached to watch it happen, and he wasn't going to go through the same thing with Elena. He may no longer feel any sort of attachment toward Katherine but if anything, he learned from his mistakes with her and it taught him things and he hated to admit it, but he was thankful for it. He didn't know why Klaus wanted Elena exactly, since he didn't trust Klaus with anything he said. But he didn't care, Elena was not leaving his sight, he'd be damned if he let anything happen to her.

He gently pushed her hair off her face and tugged it behind her ear. He heard her mutter something in her sleep and he chuckled at how sweet she was before leaning down to kiss her cheek. A soft breeze came through the window and he inhaled deeply, Elena's scent filling his nostrils. Her delicious smell of strawberry cream shampoo mixed with her light honey perfume also combined with her smell. She was intoxicating and that was just another simple thing he really adored about her.

It hadn't been too long since he last fed, but he could feel his hunger rising at the sight and smell of her in his arms, her delicate pulse throbbing dangerously close to his mouth and her nectar-like aroma seeping into his nostrils clouding his mind. Simply put, she smelled and looked divine and he began thinking just how sweet and tasty her blood would feel slowly seeping down his throat. Heavenly, that's for sure. Perfection probably. He shook every thought away though when he felt her move, he didn't want to risk frightening her.

He was greeted by her sleepy face and an angelic smile.

"Good Morning," She yawned, "How long have I been asleep?"

"Way too long," Damon teased, "You shouldn't sleep so much, Miss Gilbert. You need an active body." He raised his eyebrows suggestively, and within minutes, Elena was on top of him.

"You know what," She mumbled seductively, "You weren't punished for lying to me, Mr. Salvatore. And you did insist on keeping active…" She bit her nails deliberately as she sat on his stomach, straddling him. She quickly removed her hand from her mouth to place it on his chest, inspecting his muscles with her fingers as her teeth bit down on her bottom lip, making her look way too sexy and irresistible.

"I'm all yours," He said with a groan, reaching out to touch her, but she jerked back.

"No touching, Mr. Salvatore. We're going to do this my way today."

She giggled, and Damon smirked. "Give it your best shot."

* * *

Every night Elena felt more consumed by him. Instead of asking him the questions she had about what vampirism and what he was really like in his past life, she found herself constantly wanting to be with him. Instead of finding a way to really understand the thing about Katherine, she just decided to stop caring and just feel satisfied. And Damon did take care of her, of course. He proved that each night. He rocked her world in ways she didn't think that were humanly possible but then again-Damon Salvatore wasn't exactly human now was he?

She knew that she had told him that she forgave him, but in her heart, the ache that she still could be a substitute was still there. And she wanted more than just hold his attention; she wanted him to be hers, period. She wasn't going to share him with other women. Due to that fact, Elena had started to also give him her own blood, in fear that he would touch someone else. It was possessive of her, but she didn't care. Damon Salvatore was hers now and as long as he intended to treat her the way he was treating her now, she wasn't going to complain.

"Your blood is the tastiest blood I've ever drank," He would say every time after he'd closed the wound with just a flick of tongue which was enough to make her go crazy. He had told her stories about a vampire and human sharing blood being the most intimate experience somebody could encounter and boy was he ever right. When she was allowing him to take her blood, they wouldn't even do anything sexually but he would send her into oblivion making her forget her own name with a simply suck and bite, every time. It was mind-blowing and she couldn't help but think what it would feel like if he started letting her take his blood. The pleasure would probably be unbearable but she had an idea and eventually she would taunt him into doing it.

But one day, when she had the idea up her sleeve, he'd bit into his wrist and offered the vampire blood to her. According to Damon it was one of the most extraordinary things a vampire could do to a human. A vampire giving blood to a human being was an act of selflessness and connection, he'd say. And he was right-Everytime Elena drank his blood, she felt more connected to him, and she discovered that she could feel what he was feeling everytime they both had each other's blood in their systems. Vampire blood also made her stronger, and she longed to taste him everyday. He was really turning her to some kind of monster and killing her with desire everyday. And just like her hypothesis, it was mind-shattering. Just him taking her blood had been exquisite but them sharing each other's, that was out of this world.

* * *

"This spell was supposed to be done over a week ago!" Klaus pushed at the table, sending it flying across the room. Gloria flinched at the sound of the glass shattering.

"I'm sorry, Klaus, I'm trying," She tried to talk to him, but he pinned her against the wall in a mere second.

"Don't screw this up, Gloria. In case you've forgotten, your daughter is still being taken care of. Don't make me do this the hard way." He threatened although it wasn't like he could go through with it, she was basically his only hope.

"It's not my fault, Niklaus," Gloria screamed, "I'm having trouble finding my magic. It's been so long since I practiced, all I need is more time, I beg you," She pleaded with tears in her eyes. "My daughter is nine months old, she shouldn't be in all of this. Please, let her go and I promise you, I'll help you either way…"

"A week," He said finally, pondering the idea. "I'll resort to other methods if you don't get my spell done in a week. Explain the procedure."

"Y-Yes," She said, her body trembling. "This spell involves blood. I will take a little of your blood and put it in a cup where I can perform the ritual. The objects you brought of the other person shall be put on top of the blood as I chant the spell. You shall then fall asleep and you will find yourself in the other's body."

"What happens with my body?" Klaus asked curiously.

"It'd be safely locked in this casket here," She showed him a white casket at the end of the room.

"And with his? Will he try to break free?"

"No. There is no way that the other person could break free. His body will be yours…Unless you want to exchange bodies." Gloria sighed.

"Exchange bodies?" He asked, intrigued.

"He'll have yours and you'll have his." She informed him causing his eyebrows to rise.

"I prefer the first option." He said, after pondering the idea.

"May I ask, Klaus, what is the purpose for this?" She was shaking like a leaf knowing she was overdoing it with questions but she let curiosity get the best of her and if she was performing dark magic, she should at least know why.

"Damon Salvatore has a thing that I need most to break my mother's curse on me. I want revenge, mostly. I want her to believe that her sweet vampire turned on her."

"But if you know where she is, why do you need the spell? You could've taken what's yours." The witch offered.

"And where's the fun in that, Gloria? Where's the revenge? It would've been too easy to kill Damon and take his precious girl away from him. But I don't want to do that." Klaus yelled.

"Klaus, this is not-" She began.

"Gloria, I answered you because I wanted to, don't push me," He growled, yanking her by her hair. "You serve me."

"I didn't mean to-" She stammered but he cut her off once again. His voice was harsh and cold-letting her know that she had indeed overdone it and to shut up immediately.

"Shut up. Work on the spell, and be ready in a week." And with that, he walked out the room.

* * *

"Damon?" Elena asked as he stroked her scalp while watching a movie together. He joined her, sometimes, the idea of watching movies with her was not completely unappealing.

"Yes, Elena?" He whispered.

"I…" She didn't know how to say it, but it had to be done. She really wished that he'll say yes. She looked down, blushing, and Damon immediately paused the movie so that she could have his full attention.

"What's wrong, 'Lena? Are you feeling sick?" He sat up straight immediately, his voice now laced with concern.

"No, I feel fine. It's just that…" She bit her lip, and Damon grasped her chin gently to force her to look at him.

"Tell me," He urged.

"It's just that…I miss my family, Damon," She finally purged. "And I know that you're keeping me here because you want me safe now, I get that and I appreciate it. And I'm happy here with you, you make me feel safe. But that doesn't change the fact that I miss them."

"You're not a prisoner, not anymore," Damon nodded, "And I do understand. But you do realize, that if you go back, you'll be putting the people you love in danger. I won't keep you here against your will anymore, Elena, you know that. But if you go back, you'll end up hurting them. That would devastate you," He said with a knowing look. "So I just want you to trust me. I'm doing this for your own good."

There were those times where he still treated her like a child, and Elena knew that. Sometimes the fact that she wasn't making her own decisions killed her from the inside. But she was learning that everything he was doing was for good intentions now. He wasn't taking the choice away from her to make her feel inferior or to make her feel like an object. He was doing it to protect her.

"I know, Damon, and I trust you. All I wanted was to let me call them," She pleaded," They deserve to know I'm okay, and I really want to hear their voices."

Even though Damon did not like the idea of Elena talking to her family again, he heard himself softly say yes. Those brown eyes were going to be the death of him-He couldn't say no to those angelic eyes. The reason he did not originally wish for Elena to speak to her family was simply because it'd be harder for her now and harder for him too. He should have never taken her away from her home and he shouldn't have fallen for her. But there was no going back now; he was going to protect her no matter what.

"Thank you, thank you, and thank you!" She squeaked like a little girl, and as he handed her his phone-with blocked ID, of course-She gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Her smile, wide and bright, made him see her like a little five year old girl who had just been given a doll. He noticed her heart rate soar as she dialed her aunt's number. He chuckled but couldn't help remained a little uneasy for them.

* * *

"Gilbert's residence," The strawberry blonde picked up the telephone. Her voice had become wispy from prolonged use. The search parties were still on, and Jenna Sommers spent days crying and praying that they'll find her niece alive. Her nephew, Jeremy, ended up smoking weed, drinking and skipping school to make matters worse, and Jenna felt more alone in this mess.

"Jenna?" The voice was obviously sobbing, and the second Jenna recognized that voice, she sat down, her legs shaking like jelly as she let the tears stream down her cheek.

"Elena?" She sobbed, as the other person cried 'yes'.

"Oh my God, Elena, where are you? What are they doing to you?" She wept, "I'm going to find you, Elena, I promise-"

"No, Jenna, I'm safe," Elena tried to explain, her face covered with tears. "I'm going to be ok. I just wanted you to know that I love you, okay? And I love Jeremy too…"

"Elena, no, where are you?" Her aunt pressed, needing to know more information than that. She wasn't going to be satisfied with a simple 'I'm fine' after numerous search parties, sleepless nights. No way.

"I can't say, Jenna," Elena said once again. "I promise you, everything's going to be fine."

With that, Elena hung up, unable to hold back the tears any longer.

From behind the curtain, Damon felt his heart ache as he saw her crying, on the floor. He never felt guiltier at the sight of that delicate woman falling to pieces like that. To be responsible for her feeling that way was devastating.

So he walked slowly towards her where she handed him his phone without looking at him.

"Thank you," She said between sobs, and he picked her up and cradled her against his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Elena. I'm really sorry." He embraced her stronger as she clung onto his chest for dear life. And he really was. He had to make it up to her; he had to keep her alive. Alive long enough to see her family again.


	17. Chapter 17

A big thanks to my beta reader Courtney, love you girl!

So sorry I'm lacking updates, I'm just having a lot of writer blocks in this one, which is weird since this is my favourite story to write…

Anyway, please enjoy and review :D

* * *

"I need to talk to Sheriff Forbes, please," Jenna rushed into the police department and talked to the first person she saw. Her mind was racing and truth be told, she didn't really know if she was coming or going. All she could think about was her niece.

"Sheriff Forbes is on a break, she will see you in a moment, please take a seat in the waiting area," The receptionist said, pointing at the waiting area to her right.

"No, please, it's urgent," Jenna continued, "It's about Elena Gilbert's case. Please, I have to talk to her." Jenna was literally shaking as she spoke.

When the receptionist heard 'Elena Gilbert', she nodded her head. "I'll go see if she can see you."

"Thank you," Jenna said as she desperately stood near the desk, her feet tapping nervously. Someone was keeping Elena against her will and threatening her. It had to be, otherwise Elena would've told her where she was, right? It had to be a kidnapping. She was sure of it. But who would kidnap an innocent teenager?

"Miss Sommers," Sheriff Forbes greeted Jenna and the latter followed her to her office. "Please, take a seat." She motioned.

"Thank you," Jenna said nervously. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Sheriff…"

"Please, call me Liz. What's going on? Clara told me you have some information on Elena?" The sheriff was actually relieved to hear that there was some kind of news on Elena. She had, after all; lived at Liz's house all of her life with her daughter, Caroline. Elena was practically family.

"Liz, she called yesterday," Jenna said, tears forming in her eyes.

Liz's eyes widened. "I need you to give me every single detail, okay, and I want you to stay calm. What time was it when she called?" Liz frantically reached for pen and paper, ready to write down everything exactly how Jenna was going to explain it. It was mandatory for these situations.

"Exactly 9 pm." She wiped her tears and focused on Liz's question.

"What did she say? Did she give you any kind of hint of where she was?" The sheriff asked scribbling down her responses.

"No, she didn't. She just said that she was fine, and when I asked her where she was she didn't answer me. She is being kept hostage, Liz, I'm sure of it. She would've told me where she was. There has to be someone threatening her."

"What about a number, anything that can tell if it was a phone or cellphone?" Liz pressed.

"Nothing. No number was shown…" Jenna cried, shoving her face into her hands.

"Did anyone else talk to you?"

"No. It was just her…" Jenna answered, thinking hard to remember if she had heard any other voices other than Elena's. "Do you think…can you trace the call?"

"In these circumstances, it's a bit hard since the call isn't happening right now…But I will try my best. Did the call take longer than three minutes?" She asked after a moment of pondering.

"I don't think so," Jenna said, "But I didn't keep an exact record. Please, Sheriff, save my niece. I don't know what I'd do if I lose her."

"Jenna, the fact that she called you means that she has a phone…I want you to be careful, and I need you to contact me immediately in case she calls again. If you do what I say we'll be able to get to her. But we have to be careful, if Elena is calling you it means that she's probably doing it against her captor's wishes."

Jenna nodded in understanding. "So you think that she's being kept hostage?"

"I know Elena, Jenna. She isn't the type to just run away, no matter what other people might say." Liz placed a hand on Jenna's shoulder. She knew that a lot of people were saying that Elena was a troubled kid and she just ran away, but she didn't believe that. "It's going to be okay."

But even though Liz was comforting her, Jenna couldn't help but feel as if Elena was truly in danger; she just wanted her niece home. Safe and sound, in her house-where she belonged.

* * *

It was a long night for Elena. Damon was starting to think that it wasn't such a good idea, letting her phone her family. He heard her crying softly all night, and he couldn't find a way to comfort her because he was the one who did it to her in the first place. The guilt was killing him. It wasn't as if he wanted to keep her in his house any more against her will but it was for her own safety. She needed to be protected and the only way of him doing so was by her staying with him. It just wasn't safe at her aunt's house or anywhere else besides his place for that matter. And sometimes he even reconsidered if he should be keeping her there. Because if Klaus found her... in his care-alone, a lot worst would happen than if she was on her own and he found her.

He stared at the ceiling and looked at her from the corner of his eye. She was lying on the very edge of the bed, her back facing him. He couldn't even tell if she was asleep or awake but all he could see were the trails of tears from just a few hours before staining her cheek. He hated seeing her in such a state. If Damon had a heart that beat, it would definitely break for the girl in front of him. She was so broken, so alone and so shaken. Despite him keeping her company, this was not where she was meant to be and it pained Damon from the inside out witnessing her fall apart just in front of him. She had been so strong-she had kept it all together and was progressively accepting it. That was, until the phone call.

Now it seemed that any bit of progress or happiness they had made was falling apart. Elena seemed just as sad as the day he first took her; except this time it was under different circumstances. She was young for Christ's sake, she had been through way to much change in way too short of a time. Her body or mind or heart, for that matter couldn't really keep up with the rapid changes in her life and after that phone call, it finally seemed to hit her like a train.

He moved to her side of the bed so that he could stroke the side of her face with his index finger. She stirred, and for a moment his finger lingered there, and he was unable to decide what he should do: Give her space, or comfort her. He wanted to comfort her, assure her everything would eventually be fine but he didn't want to lie to her. He couldn't make promises that he didn't know he could keep.

Her sleepy eyes greeted him.

"Hey," He said softly.

"Damon," She whispered back. "What time is it?"

"It's half past nine," Damon replied. "Do you need anything? I can bring you something to eat…"

"Don't," Elena held her hands up, as in telling him to stop. "Don't do this, Damon. Don't try to comfort me, or coddle me. I just…I want to be left alone."

"Elena, I already told you, I'm sorry," He said sincerely, reaching out to hold her hand. He was surprised when she let him. He knew she would feel this way after the call and yet he still let her. Because despite how he knew she would react, he needed to give her what she had wanted at the time.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I know, Damon. But we can't change the facts. I shouldn't have asked you to call, it's my fault. But I can't remember this now, okay? I just…I need some time." Her doe eyes glistened with the tears that threatened to spill as she stared into his blue eyes. Searching for something-anything to hold onto.

"Of course," Damon sighed. "Take all the time you need."

When Elena opened her eyes again, Damon was gone. And she instantly regretted telling him to leave.

* * *

It was about eleven when she went downstairs to get a cup of coffee. She found Damon drinking, as usual. She didn't say a word as she placed enough coffee beans for two in the machine and waited patiently for the beverage to be ready.

"Do you want some coffee?" She asked quietly.

"No, thank you," Damon said, sipping his drink slowly as he stared at the fireplace. "Bourbon's fine for me."

She grabbed the mug and three chocolate biscuits and went to sit down next to Damon on the couch. They stood there, lost in their different worlds until Elena spoke up.

"Look, I'm sorry that I snapped at you earlier and last night. I was just so sad," She tried to explain. "This is not easy for me, Damon, even though I know you just want to protect me."

"I didn't blame you," Damon replied. "I know that this is my fault, 'Lena. And I know that you are hurting right now. Believe me; I want nothing more than to see you happy."

"I know," She sighed.

"Maybe we could-" He was about to finish the sentence when suddenly he tilted his body down and groaned in pain. Elena, taken completely off guard, immediately kneeled down next to him, panic written on her face. "What's going on, Damon? What's wrong?"

"My stomach…" He groaned in pain, "I can't b-breathe…"

He couldn't breathe? Vampires weren't supposed to breathe. They didn't have to inhale air. What was wrong? Something obviously wasn't right.

"What can I do? Do you need blood?" She tried to remain calm, but it was a losing battle obviously. It wasn't like she could actually call an ambulance and tell them that her vampire boyfriend needed help. They would probably recommend a mental hospital. Wait? Was she referring to him as her 'boyfriend' now? Oh dear..

She tried to pull him up, and after supreme effects she had him lie down on the couch. When she looked at him, she found that he was sweating and twitching in pain. His entire face was soaked with sweat and he looked like he was in huge pain. She was beginning to get really scared for him. She didn't know what to do, or how to act to this. It hadn't happened before.

She placed a cold washcloth on his forehead, earning a whimper from him, and massaged his scalp with her other hand, trying to calm him. "You're going to be okay," She tried to tell him, but it was no use, he kept hissing in pain and holding his chest. She noticed how his lips were so dry.

"Damon, you need blood," Elena stated. "Did you get the new blood supply?"

"No," He admitted. "I haven't got any blood left."

She didn't even need to be told twice. Rolling up her sleeve, she placed her wrist firmly next to his mouth. "You need blood, Damon. Drink."

"Elena, I don't know what's going on with me. I can lose control, I can hurt you…" He said, and very weakly, he pushed her wrist away. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to drink from you." He looked at her, his face twisted in disgust. "I might not be able to stop the way I am now."

"Well, I don't want you to die!" Elena snapped, forcing her wrist against his mouth again. "Please, Damon, drink! Listen to me!" She urged, shoving her wrist in his mouth. "It' our only possible way of fixing this!"

He looked at her twice before he bit down on her wrist, trying to be as gentle as possible. Only when he tasted her blood, his body immediately repelled it. It was something that never happened to him, or any vampire in that matter.

"Oh my God," Elena gasped in horror when she saw all the blood, "Damon, you need help! There has to be something I can do to help you…"

"I can't…h-hurts…" He whimpered, barely able to keep his eyes open. The pain was excruciating.

And then his eyes snapped shut.

* * *

It wasn't a typical place for a teenager to go to, but ever since his parents' deaths and Elena's disappearance Jeremy simply felt lost. He was walking in the cemetery, a bottle of vodka in his hand and a packet of cigarettes in the other, dragging his feet into the mud. It was too much. He was failing school, he had started a million search parties and he felt useless now. He was sure that he had lost Elena. He wasn't even sleeping at home now, because he couldn't even bear to face his aunt. He was a disappointment. She wouldn't want to see him like this but it was his only coping mechanism with losing his sister. She was the only person he had left and now she was gone. Surely he would take it hard, but he knew where he should have drew the line and he kept letting himself sink further and further into depression and drugs.

"Gilbert," a mocking voice was heard, and Jeremy, even though he was drunk, recognized it immediately.

"Tyler, you don't want to mess with me right now," Jeremy warned, shaking and stumbling. "Go away, and take your toys with you." He eyed Tyler's gang in disgust.

"What? Are you sad that your sister ran away?" Tyler mocked, "Don't tell me that your sister wasn't depressed, Gilbert. We saw her everyday, weeping like a three year old. Why don't you just accept that she's probably screwing some guy right now, and you're here searching for her? She doesn't want to be found, Gilbert."

"Don't you ever talk about my sister that way!" Jeremy snapped, backhanding Tyler so violently that the latter was sent to the hard ground. Tyler wasn't much bigger than Jeremy. But that little shit always treated Jeremy like dirt, always bad-mouthing his family. And the drugs and booze made him bold. There was no way in hell that he would leave without words being spoken this time. He had remained quite for far too long and what had happened to his sister had hurt him far too much to stand by and take the hurtful words. This time, he was picking up for himself because he simply didn't give a fuck.

"The truth hurts, Jeremy. You are never going to see her again," Tyler said, wiping a few drops of blood. "I can damn guarantee you that."

Jeremy had it after that comment. He pinned Tyler to the ground, and while hovering above him drove his fist as far back as he could with his free hand before pounding into the Lockwood's face. "Fuck you." Jeremy screamed. "I will find my sister, you sick bastard."

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**Woah, that was an emotional roller coaster xD**

**Hope you enjoyed ;D**

**Check out my story with Cdaye8184, "What Lies Beneath."**


	18. Chapter 18

Thanks to cdaye8184 for your betaing, I don't know what I'd do without you girl! Xxx

Lacking updates, I know and I'm very sorry. But until the drama comes I've been having major writers blocks, but please do share your opinion with me by reviewing-I want to know if I'm still writing a nice story because sometimes I get worried. Remember **I encourage CONSTRUCTIVE criticism as it helps me improve my writing and my English.**

On another note, school started and it is my final year in the school I've been attending for the last couple of years. I have to study hard to enter sixth form (Like American High School) so my time is very limited. Apart from school I'm taking extra lessons in Math and Physics so you can only imagine but I'll try to update all of my stories at least once a week, during the weekend.

Please enjoy and review!

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"Oh my God, Damon, wake up!" Elena said, shaking the unconscious form of the vampire she grew so attached to. It hurt to see him like that, and it hurt even more that she couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't like someone had trained her to be a vampire doctor. She was completely lost when it came to Damon-especially with something like this. She had _no_ clue whatsoever what was happening to him. She didn't know where to turn nor how to react. She wanted to help him but she didn't know how therefore couldn't; and it killed her. God... what the hell was happening. Everyone was going so fine until this...

"Damon," Elena pleaded, touching his cheek lightly. He was cold as ice. She reached for the cupboard next to the couch, and grabbed the pocket knife she had seen before firmly, making a cut in her arm next to the other one she had made minutes before. She was going to try something-anything-and everything. She wasn't risking not doing anything.

She shoved her wrist into his mouth, praying that her blood will just help him gain consciousness. The drops poured soundly down his throat, however there was no movement, no sign of life. He wasn't rejecting the blood but his body wasn't responding to it either and it was terrifying her.

"Oh God," Elena cried, pulling him up and holding his body close to her own. "Don't you dare give up on me, Damon, don't you dare!" She wept, rocking his head in her arms while cradling his limp shoulders. "Damon, please come back to me!"

She had barely finished the sentence when Damon suddenly opened his mouth and bit roughly down her skin. Elena let out a yelp but stood very still as the blood flowed at a very fast pace. He was being rough, and she was getting afraid because he was always gentle with her. She knew blood-her blood was what he needed and she knew he needed a lot of it and quickly but this was too much too fast. She felt herself beginning to slowly get dizzy and she had to steady herself with her hand as she tried to push him away from her arm but his strength was quickly returning because she couldn't budge from him grasp.

"Damon, I think that's enough…" she tried to say, but Damon continued to drink greedily from her. "Damon, please stop, you're hurting me…"

Still, there was no reply. Elena tried to yank her arm out of his grasp, but at that, he let an animalistic growl and pinned her underneath him roughly.

"Stop moving!" He growled, and Elena tried to push at his chest, trying to get his body off her. He was out of control.

"Damon, you need help!" She screamed, punching at him again."Please! I want to help you but not like this! You're taking too much Damon!" She cried.

But he grabbed her wrists and held them tightly above her head, his knees holding hers securely in place. With his other hand, he shoved her neck to one side and bit down, hard.

Elena felt darkness overwhelming her and the last thing she regarded before she blacked out were his amazing eyes encircled with pulsating veins and a look in them that she wasn't used to. A look of coldness.

When Elena regained consciousness, she was sore and tired. Most of all, she hurt everywhere. There was this fire inside her that she couldn't control-It was burning her inside out. The pain was severe. She ached in places she didn't know possible. She was sore in parts she hadn't been before and her body was tender all over even just laying on the... bed?

She looked around, to find herself in Damon's room on his bed, only when she turned her face Damon was there smiling at her evilly. "Hello, princess…"

"Stay away from me. You need help," She accused, reaching out to stop the blood from her neck.

"Ah, ah, ah," Damon waved three fingers in front of her. "That's not a nice way to talk to your master, is it?" He asked, tilting his head to the side in an extremely creepy way.

"Master?" Elena mumbled, "Damon, what's going on? Go away. You need help," She stated again.

"Princess, I think we're going to play by different rules…"Damon scooted closer to her and ran his fingertips across her hip, but she slapped him with all her strength.

"Don't touch me," She spat at him.

At that, Damon's face turned demonic. He grabbed her face roughly and turned her head around, keeping eye contact with her at all times. "Just who do you think you are you measly human?" He said, releasing her face and grinning evilly at her. "I think we have to change lots of things, princess."

"Damon, this isn't you. It's the fever…" She tried to think, to figure out what was going on with the person that cared about her so much. Now it was nothing. He was scaring her. He had gone through a metamorphosis so quickly it gave her whiplash. This definitely wasn't the Damon Salvatore she knew. Something was seriously wrong in his mind... something warping up his reality and imagination because he was clearly not in his right state of mind.

"Fever?" He laughed at her face. "You're so naïve, you mortal…" He said, saying the words as if they were profanity. "You're worthless. The only things you humans are good for are blood and sex…" He mumbled suggestively.

Elena stared at him in horror, and backed away from him. She did not expect to hear him say something like that. A single tear ran down her cheek as she ran for the door but of course with his vampire speed he was able to be in front of her, pinning her to it before she even registered what was going on.

"And where do you think you're going?" He asked tucking a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. Elena gulped trying not to make eye contact with him. Her chest was moving back and forth frantically and her heart was beating out of her chest.

"Away from you," She replied, "I refuse to be in the same room with you if you can't control yourself."

"And what makes you think you have a choice?" Damon barked at her face. "You belong to me. I own you."

Hearing the words coming from his mouth, Elena instinctively squirmed and trying to back away from the door, out of his reach as she slid across the wall."Damon, this isn't you!" She repeated, "There's something wrong. Please, let me help you. Let me help you because you wanted to give everything for me."

"I don't need anything from you. Just be a good girl or you are going to pay a harsh price," He warned her. "Now, don't cry," He said, capturing a tear in his finger and examining it like it was a diamond or something precious. "It's useless. Go back to bed," He ordered her.

"Damon…" She whispered feeling defeated. She truly didn't know what to say to him. She didn't know how to act around this man... no creature. This wasn't her Damon. Her Damon was more of a man, this was pure vampire and all the evil and bad that supposedly came with it. This was strictly vampire, no human Damon was left to be found and it really frightened her because she was starting to wonder, if her Damon was going to return...

He grabbed her by her shoulders and turned her savagely. "_Now."_

When he released her, Elena stumbled backwards. She let the tears stream down her cheeks and she couldn't understand what was happening. This wasn't Damon. It had to be the fever, she was sure of it, but she didn't know what she should do. She felt lost and she hurt everywhere-She had obviously lost too much blood.

Her breath caught in her throat when the bed creaked a little, and she found Damon on the bed, staring at her intensely. "Turn around,"He ordered her, and half heartedly, she turned to face him. "Rules are going to change, sweetheart," He reminded her, caressing her collarbone with his fingertips. "Just wait and see."

Damon left the room, locking it behind him leaving a very confused, puzzled, shaken up, hurt, heart broken, scared and weak Elena behind with nothing but her thoughts and questions that she had no idea what the answers were.

* * *

"Blood," Stefan commanded. "I want blood. Now."

"Stefan, you drained three girls in less than an hour. You can't…"

"You are in no position to disobey me," Stefan barked at the other vampire's face.

"What does Klaus say about this?" The voice asked.

"Klaus is doing an important mission right now. He left me in charge of this place," Stefan mumbled, drunk with the bourbon he had been drinking. One of the guards appeared with a teenage girl and the latter held out her wrists with tears in her eyes. Stefan grinned evilly at his 'treat'.

"What do you have to say, girl?" Stefan said harshly.

"Sir, please take my blood," The girl said in a robotic voice, praying that he didn't kill her. She was only sixteen years old. She never wanted this. Although, nobody wanted this...

Stefan liked torturing his victims, but most of all he liked to make them beg. He grabbed the girl and set her on his lap before biting down her soft skin. The girl shrieked a little but as she already knew, no one was going to help her. Not when she was owned by vampires.

"Take her to her chambers," Stefan ordered when he was finished, and he tossed the weak body to one of the guards. Human life meant nothing to him. One human died? He didn't care. One hundred died, he didn't give a shit. He just wanted their blood and their body. In his eyes, that's all they were good for. He seemed to forget that he too, was once human.

He wondered about what Klaus was doing to Damon right now, but he didn't care. In fact, he wanted Klaus to hurt the girl Damon had been so fond of, because that was what his brother deserved. Damon deserved to have the girl tortured in front of him.

Elizabeth Forbes searched through her file. She had been trying to trace the call for the past day and there was nothing more she could do. She felt like she was a disappointment both to Jenna, Elena and her own daughter. Elena's case was not unique and she was determined to find Elena. The girls from Mystic Falls that went missing were all found dead months later and she was determined to not let the same thing happen to Elena. She didn't deserve it. She owed the Gilbert family that much, she knew them too well just to stand by and not do anything extra.

She had been searching high and low for any piece of evidence-even a tidbit of information but she was coming up empty handed each time. There was nothing, she was no closer to solving this than she had been hours ago and it was really started to aggravate and worry her all at the same time.

She looked at the very pale Jenna who was playing with the empty glass of water. The poor woman went through so much, she was losing weight she couldn't afford to lose and her eyes were often red and puffy. Elizabeth offered her a couple of tissues and sat down next to her.

"You said you wanted to talk to me." Jenna mumbled, it wasn't a question.

"Jenna, I'm not going to lie to you," Liz said uncomfortably. "But this case isn't getting anywhere. There were no phone call traces and no lead to anything-no footprints or fingerprints, nothing. The police department is thinking about having a break from the case…"

"Oh my God," Jenna sobbed, "You can't! Please, Liz! You can't!"

"I'm doing everything I can to make sure that there will be no breaks. I want Elena safe home like you do, Jenna. But it isn't my decision. If they say that we have to work on other cases for a while it'll be their final word." Liz inhaled deeply and sighed, trying not to show her frustration. "The call didn't last long enough for it to be of any use. So right now, we're just as clueless with her case as we were from the get go. Now I promise I will do everything I possibly can to bring her home to you, Jenna. This is my job, remember and I'm close to Elena and so is Caroline. I'm not giving up without a fight."

"Thank you." Jenna muttered into her hands.

"I just wish there was something we had to go on..." Liz whispered.

"I can't believe this…" Jenna responded quietly. "She and Jeremy's all I have now. I owe it to Miranda and Grayson. I swore I'd keep them safe and I failed."

"You didn't fail, Jenna." Liz soothed her, rubbing the woman's back. "You were the perfect guardian. You're only young and new to all of this and you took them in with open arms. You provided their every need, and you gave them food and a roof over their heads. Elena was in the wrong place at the wrong time and you cannot blame yourself for that."

"It's just so hard." She exclaimed throwing her hands in the air.

"I know that this is hard, believe me. I can't even trace the call, Jenna. All you can do right now is pray." Liz consoled, offering her a sympathetic smile.

But somehow Jenna felt that something was wrong, very wrong.

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What happened to Damon? That's for me to know and you to dot dot dot for now ;P

However….HINT: Klaus did mention doing something evil in earlier chapters. Come on, it's easy! Haha ok I'm being cheesy but anyway… *sigh*

Please be good and review!


	19. Chapter 19

**Thanks to my beta, Cdaye8184, for being there when I need you-You do an amazing job on every chapter, dear. Thanks ;)**

**Thank you to my reviewers, I wouldn't have gotten to 243 reviews without you. Check out my other story "My Last Chance In Saving my Humanity". It is something different than I usually do. It consists of a pregnant Elena and a softie, cute Damon, so if you're into that, read and find out! **

**Also, those waiting for an update on "What Lies Beneath" please bear with us. It's a story written by me and Cdaye8184 and I'm in the process of writing the first part. Check it out on Cdaye8184's profile.**

**Please review!**

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He had broken her. Emotionally and physically, that is. She looked in the mirror, her hands covering the bruises as much as possible. She didn't want to remember. She didn't want to think that her bruises were because of Damon Salvatore.

The last few weeks were a living hell. He had fed on her. He had pinned her down on the bed as she screamed. There were bruises on her back and still, to this day could not understand what had made his 'switch' reverse so quickly and easily. The kind, thoughtful Damon had left that day and he hadn't come back yet.

But Elena did not want to believe that the man doing this to her was Damon. _Maybe he was compelled_, she thought. _Maybe it was because of the illness_. She didn't know, however, and she couldn't wait for the real Damon to come out. That would kill her. _He_would possibly kill her and unfortunately, she didn't really want to stick around to find out. He terrified her, she hated to say it but he did. And it was only a matter of time before he snapped. He already did things he promised he wouldn't. He had already hurt her in more ways than she thought he was ever capable of doing to _her_, out of all people.

_I won't give up on him_, she added solemnly. This wasn't her Damon. This wasn't the Damon who fed her, who held her and apologized for keeping her captive. This was a soulless monster. Her Damon would come back to her eventually, and when that day came. She'd be relieved-ecstatic, and thankful.

She heard his footsteps and ran back to her bed, hoping that he would just leave her alone, for once. She held her breath as she sensed him moving on to her bed, and for a moment, nothing happened although she could almost imagine him staring at her.

Then, his hand reached out to stroke her hair and it took everything inside her to not flinch. His lips found her neck now, and she heard him whisper, "I know you're not asleep, sweetheart."

She tried to pretend she's asleep, but Damon laughed. He grabbed her face roughly and sat her up on the bed. She yelped. "See? I like you better when you co-operate," He added cruelly before letting her go unexpectedly, making her fall with a loud 'thump' on the bed.

"Why are you doing this to me?" She sobbed and whimpered at the same time.

There was no reply, however. He bit out, "Lie down."

She didn't even try to protest this time. Instead, she lied down, her head on the pillow, as 'Damon' climbed on top of her and put her wrists above her head. He played with her a little, letting his fangs brush against her skin. He liked it when she feared him. It gave him a feeling of 'control' and dominance. He liked that. Damon really liked that.

Elena closed her eyes, feeling his fangs brush against her collarbone as he nibbled on her skin. His hand was stroking her hip, and she squirmed against him with tears in her eyes. Finally, Damon bit deep in her neck and drank greedily from her, his hands bunching the thin material of her nightgown. She tried not to scream in pain, she didn't want him to know how much he was hurting her, how much pain she was in, both physically and emotionally. She was beginning become accustomed to the feeling, it wasn't as painful as the first few times but it was still excruciating, if you could believe that. She felt the darkness overwhelm her.

He was enjoying this way too much. He loved her fear, it made him hungrier. He liked the way she fought against him. This was revenge, he thought, and grabbed a small mirror and smiled at it. The man smiling back was blonde and had green eyes.

He smirked. Damon had kept the doppelgänger from him. Now he had to pay, and he had to pay by seeing Elena get hurt. Gloria had warned him that Damon will know everything that's going on. He laughed again at the thought of Damon, trapped inside his body seeing the woman he cared about get hurt over and over didn't care. It wasn't as if Damon could possibly stop him. It wasn't as if Damon could change his mind about doing this. No, he was going to continue this whether Damon Salvatore liked it or not. Nobody could stop him. He was an original, for Christ's sake.

And it was just starting. He needed the doppelgänger in his hands, and he was already making the necessary preparations to take the little brunette in his little vampire whorehouse. And she didn't have the slightest clue. It was marvelous how cunning he was, he shocked himself sometimes but he could always act and get his own way-that was nothing new.

But he, Klaus Mikaelson, wasn't going to act on his plans yet. Not when the girl was there, his for the taking. He wasn't going to share her with anyone. She belonged to him, she was his doppelgänger. She was made for him to kill, eventually. But that didn't mean that he couldn't spend some time playing with her, right? He had to make up for the lost time that Damon had taken from him. It had made him extremely jealous when Damon got to her first, treated her right and made her happy. He got sick at the thought, Damon was a fool. Vampires were supposed to torture and kill. They were predators, not puppies.

He smirked evilly, swallowing his glass of bourbon in one long sip.

There was blood everywhere. Stefan was feasting on the third girl that day, his ripper instincts uncontrolled. This was becoming a massacre. He wouldn't have it any other way.

A girl in her late teens, Aimee Bradley, was asked to scrub the floor. She obeyed with tears in her eyes as she wiped the blood off the floor, her friend's blood. They were all friends there. Well, not all. There were the ones that vampires preferred, and those didn't often talk to the least preferred ones like her.

But she knew they were all unhappy here. They were kidnapped from their homes and brought here to be fed on, to be slaves. Her thoughts ran to little Jennifer, a seven year old girl. She was innocent, yet she was working her head off right now. She had nearly got beaten by a vampire after she had broken an ornament. Luckily, her 'owner' was one of the 'kind' vampires, and he didn't let him hurt her. There were 'kind' vampires, the one that brought them good food and talked to them. Jennifer's was like this. In fact, she was lucky because once she had heard him saying that he would never hurt little Jennifer. But she was still a slave, and when she grew up, her owner would probably change his mind.

"You," Stefan said, drunk out of his mind. "Clean up this mess, now. And then come next to me."

She nodded, her legs shaking as she continued to wipe away the blood.

This was what her life had become. Fear, worry and blood shed.

Another week passed.

Nothing changed. Elena was still locked up in her room, feeling exhausted physically and mentally. Her only food was the blood he forced down her throat. Of course, this Damon wasn't the Damon that brought her breakfast, that made a special meal for her in the evening. This Damon wasn't the one that fed her chocolate coated strawberries. This was a nightmare. This wasn't Damon, but she didn't know that. She had lost a significant amount of weight since 'this Damon' had appeared and she was beginning to become ill, always dizzy and nauseous.

He barged in the room without knocking, and without a word he force-fed her his blood. It made her sick, but she didn't try to pull away. It would've been a waste of valuable energy, the thing she didn't have much.

"We're leaving," He said after she drank for several minutes. "Wear this." He threw a white dress at her and waved a finger in front of her. "You better be ready in five minutes."

When he made no move to leave the room, Elena went to the ensuite and locked the door. She didn't want this man to look at her. Not anymore. Not until he got back.

Klaus-Damon rolled his eyes. If he really wanted to see her stripping, that door wouldn't have worked at all. It would just take a little of his strength to split it open.

She forced herself to slip on the white dress. It was nice, but not her type. Not something 'her Damon' would have picked out for her. He knew her like the back of his hand. He almost knew her better than she knew herself, in the short amount of time they had known each other.

Elena looked at herself in the mirror and then, and only then did she truly see what kind of toll Damon's behaviour had on her. Her eyes had large, dark circles and her cheek bones were no longer rosy and puffed with delight. They were pale and sunken in, making her facial features look almost too large for her face. Her body was smaller, way smaller. And she had almost been quite petite. But now, she didn't like the way she looked. Her tiny chest was now almost obsolete and her hips popped out in a disturbing way, a way she didn't even want to see them. She turned sideways to see how the dress fit her waist and she had at least lost four or five inches, making her waist extremely tiny. It looked as if somebody even Damon's size could crack her off without a struggle. She sighed at her body. _That's what an all blood diet_ _will do to you_, she thought depressingly.

She came out a few seconds later. He looked at her intensely for a moment, and then ordered her to follow him.

When they arrived next to the car, Elena looked confused. There were no suitcases or anything. He felt his hands wrap around just under her chest and she shivered when he placed a kiss on her neck.

"Shh, just be a good girl," He whispered, and then she saw him taking out a black, thick scarf. She tried to get free of him, but his hold on her was unbreakable. It was hurting her fragile body. She even thought that she was going to have broken bones.

"Don't move," He hissed, and he put the blindfold over her eyes, officially blocking the sun's sweet rays on her face. That was too bad, before even for a minute she could have used the precious rays of light to at least add a tiny glow to her now sickly looking, ghostly complexion. What was he going to do to her? Where was he going to take her?

* * *

**That was it. So Damon is being possessed by Klaus.**

**What do you think? What do you think are Klaus's intentions? Why does he need the doppelganger? Please leave a review stating your thoughts.**


	20. Chapter 20

A/N I hope I won't dissappoint but I'm taking this direction for the story. But never fear, Delena fans, Damon will be back.

Just for your info, I like writing Dark Stefan. Hope you don't get offended if you like Stefan...but anyway, that's the beauty of fanfiction, you can twist around and write the characters yourself.

**As usual, a big thanks and shoutout to my friend Courtney (cdaye8184) for beta-ing this. Check out her stories!**

Please Review!

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The drive was taking way too long. With the blindfold on her eyes, her lips dry and her stomach begging for food Elena felt weak and helpless. She had also given up hope. Damon was gone and no one could explain why. Her throat hurt from crying and her eyes were hurting, she couldn't cry any more. There were no more tears left in her body that could possibly be shed.

This was somehow worse than when she was originally kidnapped. Because at that time, she hated her kidnapper with all her heart, and she knew that the monster had ruined her life. However, now it was a different story. The person hurting her was the one she loved, the one who had been protecting her. The one that had saved her from werewolves, the one that had been trying to keep her safe from being Klaus's blood bag and the one that saved her from being raped by vampires. He'd made her feel again, made her love again. How could it have been all just an illusion for so long? Was it all just an act? Was it all just a plan?

She finally felt the car stop, and without warning, she felt a pair of hands practically yanking her out of the car and she was being carried somewhere. She could also tell that Damon was using vampire speed. She silently wished she could feel his touch, his soft touch she should say... and reassure her everything would be fine. But she was hoping for snow in hell because that wasn't going to happen, any more.

Then suddenly, everything stopped. There was no more cold wind hitting her cheek, no dizziness from the vampire speed or the smell of wet grass. She was now in somewhere dark, she could tell. It smelled rusty and old, and also very strange. It felt strange, too, it seemed like she was being taken to a cave because everything was echoing. She could hear Damon's footsteps echo all around the place. Where the hell was he taking her? Why would they be in a cave? Or possibly underground? She was beginning to become afraid. Her heart started to beat faster, and then Damon suddenly threw her roughly on the floor. She nearly cried as she hit the hard floor with a big impact, but she collected herself because she didn't want him seeing her cry. That would satisfy him.

"Now, you are going to stay here," Damon whispered in her ear.

Elena nodded fast, feeling the tears streaming down her cheeks as she waited for an 'I'm sorry' that would never come.

* * *

"Stefan," Damon greeted Stefan as the latter turned in surprise at his brother's voice.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" Stefan asked coldly. "You lost every right to be in here when you betrayed Klaus." Stefan's eyes suddenly widened, however, as he processed the words he had just said. "Wait, how did you even get in? There are guards everywhere."

"Let's just say I'm not in my right head," Klaus-Damon smirked at Stefan. "You know what my favourite hobby is."

Stefan still looked unsure. "What if I don't believe you?"

Klaus-Damon immediately blurred forward and grabbed Stefan by the neck. "Is this prove enough for you?" He said, tightening his grip around Stefan's neck, almost breaking it. "Do you think that your brother has the balls to actually kill you? Does he even have this much strength?"

"Ok, ok, fine," Stefan gasped for air and struggled against him. "I believe you."

"Never question my abilities, Stefan," Klaus spat rudely as he let him go, making Stefan sliding down the wall. "I have talents you don't know of. Consider this my revenge on your brother for disobeying me."

"What are you talking about? What revenge?" Stefan asked uneasily. As much as he despised Damon for what he'd done, he would never want to see him brutally injured or dead, he was his brother.

"I was just getting to that," Klaus smirked. "Come with me. I'll show you."

Klaus-Damon walked in front of Stefan with a huge smile on his face. He opened a couple of locked doors until he reached one of the hallways, where Elena was. Stefan's eyes widened. The girl was blindfolded, and her dress was white and covered with red blood stains. He wasn't sure who she was, but seeing her silky brown hair made him recognize her.

"Is that Elena Gilbert?" He asked in amusement.

"Yes," Klaus stated simply. "The one and only doppelgänger."

The poor girl raised her head up at the direction of the two men's voices, trembling on the floor and waiting for something-anything-to happen.

"Name your price," Stefan demanded.

"Excuse me?" Klaus nearly spat. He was taken aback by Stefan's immediate interest.

"Name your price. I'll buy the girl." The young Salvatore told him. "Any price."

"She's not for sale. I need her."

"She doesn't have to die. I don't have to kill her. Let me have my fun. I want revenge on my brother too, you know. He left me and betrayed me for this measly human," He said, making sure that Elena didn't hear what they were saying.

The two men moved closer to Elena.

"I see your point," Klaus smirked. "Fine. I need Five bags of your blood and twenty thousand dollars. No less. No permanent damage to the girl."

"Ten thousand dollars," Stefan tried to request, but Klaus snapped.

"I said twenty thousand dollars and five bags of your blood, Salvatore. That, or no girl."

"Fine," Stefan said. "I accept."

Stefan was about to untie the blindfold, but Klaus stopped him. "Not yet. Take her to the room first. Oh and one more thing."

"What?"

"Don't tell the human that I'm in Damon's body, she still thinks I'm her precious lover although I think we broke up this week..." He laughed, and walked away.

He sighed, nodded his head and picked up the shaking girl. There was rapid movement and Elena, who was still unable to think properly, was suddenly being forced on something soft. Stefan untied the blindfold from her eyes and she nearly screamed in fright when she saw that it was the same Stefan that had kidnapped her-Stefan Salvatore, the vampire she had been so afraid of. Damon's brother... the one who had been the exact opposite of the Salvatore she loved but now, the one that he had so much in common with. Had it just been lying beneath the surface? She still didn't want to believe that it was all an act but she was running out of options and she was running out of time hoping and wishing for miracles.

"You're wise to fear me," Stefan commented dryly. "I'm not my brother."

"Please, what's going on?" Elena begged. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Nothing is important now, Elena," Stefan said, striding up to the bed like a predator stalking its prey. "All that matters is that you're mine. I have full control over you. I bought you," He added harshly. "If you do what I say, you live." He stroked her bottom lip with his thumb, and then whispered gravely in her ear, "If you don't…then you're going to have to face hell. Understood?"

"What do you mean you bought me?"

"Exactly what I said." Stefan hissed. "I paid twenty thousand dollars to have my fun with you. I said, do you understand?"

Elena stared at him blankly, too scared to even nod her head.

"Understand?" He barked.

"Y-Yes," She choked.

"Yes what?" He roared.

"Yes, Mr. Salvatore…" She pleaded desperately.

But trying to correct her words only earned herself a slap to the face, a very hard slap to the face. She soothed it with her palm, rubbing it as the stinging sensation lingered. She looked up to Stefan with tears nearly in her eyes. He was grinning evilly and he looked mad. Very mad. She tried to say sorry but before she got the chance, she felt another slap-this time on her behind. And again on her back. She was throbbing everywhere and she was fighting every fibre in her body trying not to cry. It hurt so much but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

"That won't do!" He yelled. "You will not call me by my name, I am much more than that to you! You address me as Master. If I hear you call me anything but master or sir, it'll be much worse than what I just did. I'm just warming up." he said, grabbing her face and making her look at him. "Do we understand each other, E-le-na?" He sang song. He didn't want a reply, though because he let go of her face and took a few steps back.

"Hmm, how about I explain some stuff to you," Stefan laid on his side next to the shaking girl. "You are required to work. No questions. Just do what's asked from you. You cannot speak to any vampire unless they speak to you. You will not share yourself, blood or otherwise, with any other vampire except me." He gave her a suggestive look. "You cannot ask for food or drink. Doing so will only get you harmed. Food will be given to you at a time I see fit. If you abide by my rules, your time here should be _bearable_. If not, I promise I will make your life a living hell."

Afraid to say anything, she nodded her head, and Stefan smiled, happy with his work.

"Now…" He climbed on top of her. "How about a drink from the doppelgängers neck?"

She screamed. She yelled and shrieked, and even tried to fight him off. She prayed that someone would get her out of there, but no one came. Stefan pierced her neck and drank greedily from her, doing everything just for the pleasure of hurting her. The screaming was useless. Elena felt herself going unconscious as the world of black took over.

…

Elena woke up with a start, looking at a strange clock in a strange bed. She took in the surroundings, and for a moment she seemed to forget where she was. She was quickly reminded when she felt Stefan's arms around her waist, holding her to his body. It was six in the morning, and he seemed to be fast asleep. For someone as ruthless as he, he seemed to be kind of peaceful looking in his sleep. But she wouldn't think like that, he was a killer-a monster. Elena looked at herself and nearly jumped out of her skin when she found out that she was in pyjamas. Someone had undressed and dressed her when she was unconscious. Fear welled through her veins, what if he did other things to her while she was unconscious? She'd never know.

Unable to do anything, she laid limp in Stefan's unbreakable grip and waited for the worst-for him to wake up.

And she prayed God that she'll get through this. And the worst part about it... was that her thoughts drifted back to those of her and Damon when he was different. She missed him, she wanted that Damon to be her prince charming and come and save her from his ruthless brother but who was she kidding? He was the one who had brought her to Stefan. Did he want her dead? She might as well be.

* * *

Like it? Hate it? Tell me what you think in reviews.

Don't forget to check out Courtney and me's story "What Lies Beneath", it's on Cdaye8184's profile ;3

Also, check out My Last Chance In Saving My Humanity, if you love **VERY SWEET and strictly OOC Damon, you'll adore it ;D**


	21. Chapter 21

First of all, thank you for your lovely comments!

Thank you Courtney for doing your usual magic ;) Check out her stories-"Cdaye8184"

**Important Warning: Stefan is very dark in this chapter, however the scene is NOT GRAPHIC. I intend to keep the story as a T rating. **

* * *

She had been staring at the ceiling for hours now, as she waited for him to wake up. She had been bracing herself for whatever was going to happen next. What was expected from her here? Most importantly, what did Stefan want from her? Her stomach twisted painfully at the thought.

His arms were so tight around her that they were hurting her. Her thoughts ran to Damon. He used to hold her like this when they slept together, only Damon's hold was gentle and protective. Stefan's hold was possessive, as he was reminding her that she couldn't move unless he allowed it. She couldn't let herself believe that Damon was gone, that he was the one that brought her to this hell. Because the memories of him and her were real. She still couldn't comprehend how somebody could change so quickly.

Her breath caught in her throat when she felt Stefan stir next to her. That was it then, he was waking up. Her heart started to race faster, and her hands suddenly became sweaty.

"Calm your heart down, I'm not going to eat you," She heard him say. "Although you taste amazing, sweetheart." His hands were stroking her side, and she took deep breaths to keep from crying.

"I'm not the kind of vampire that wakes up looking for blood," Stefan said again, climbing off the bed. "I happen to be a busy guy. I'll leave the fun for later, when I'm not in a hurry." He threw her a lopsided grin which made Elena's body tremble.

"Don't look so scared," Stefan said, his grin still in place. "This is just the beginning."

He opened the closet and took off his shirt. Elena immediately looked away and blushed, and that only satisfied him. In a flash, he was in front of her. He grabbed her face and smirked. "You're blushing," He commented. "How cute. There's no need, however. We're all very open here," He let go of her and proceeded to change.

He then threw a grey dress at Elena. "Wear this," He ordered. "I'll be showing you around."

She waited for him to move so that she could change, but when he didn't she attempted to move to the bathroom. He grabbed her wrist in a tight grip. "Piece of advice, Elena. You better learn to cope in this situation. You don't find many vampires that are…lenient." He let go of her wrist and sat on the couch. "Go on. We don't have all day," He snapped.

Elena hurried into the bathroom and locked the door, resigned to this fate. She changed quickly and kept her head down when she went out of the room.

"All done?" he said impatiently.

She nodded her head and he grabbed her arm, tugging her along. When she went out of the room, she saw a long corridor with rooms. It looked like a hotel, but Elena knew better. There were no windows except some ventilators, and it was dark even though it was nine in the morning.

Then, they entered a room. There were hundreds of girls dressed up just like her, and they all seemed very young. She didn't understand what was going on, but then she realized that they were serving breakfast-hence the reason why everyone was queuing and pushing. One girl was screaming at the top of her lungs that she hadn't been fed in days. Stefan held Elena's elbow in his tight grip and walked towards the girls. Everyone stopped dead, and Elena immediately realized that Stefan was feared.

"Ladies, why such hassle?" He asked coolly.

Everyone was silent, and Elena shivered, not wanting to think of what she has gotten into. He stepped in front one blonde girl who seemed to be the one causing chaos.

"What's your name?" He said calmly.

"Eliza Dickens, Sir," The girl stood up, knowing every regulation Stefan Salvatore made. She knew the way to address him, of course.

"Eliza," He said, moving in front of her. "You are supposed to know that a woman screaming like a banshee hurts my sensitive ears." He let go of Elena so that he could cup the girl's chin. "You do know that, don't you, Eliza?"

"Y-yes, I d-do," The girl whimpered.

"Now tell me, girl, whatever is the problem?" He asked calmly.

"It's nothing, Sir…" She whispered, not daring to look in his direction.

"Didn't seem like nothing to me," He continued to hold her chin and he pulled her towards him for everyone to see. "What is one of the rules, Ms. Dickens?" The girl was sobbing now, but Stefan wasn't patient. "Tell me."

Having no option, she spoke. "We can't demand your food."

"Uh-oh," He hinted playfully. "You have an excellent memory, yes. But obedience? Definitely not," With those harsh words, he snapped the girl's neck. Everyone screamed, and Elena put her hands on her mouth and fell to her knees.

"A second is what it takes to end your miserable lives," Stefan spoke calmly, as if nothing happened. "I think it will be in your best interest to do what you're asked without asking any questions."

He then turned to Elena, and grabbed her face roughly. "Welcome to this world, princess."

* * *

The scene of the girl dying in front of her kept replaying in her head. She was forced to clean the rooms, and Stefan had left her alone, at least. Elena noticed how no one spoke to each other as they worked. One girl was made to scrub the stairs, and even though she forced a little smile at Elena, she didn't say anything.

A few minutes later, however, the girl came and shook Elena's hands.

"You're new, aren't you?" She asked.

"Yes," Elena said.

"My name's Tara Moyer," She introduced herself. "Stefan sent me to see if you understood the concept of everything. But besides that, I want to be your…friend."

"I'm Elena Gilbert," Elena said politely, but her voice dropped to a whisper. "I can't understand…What is this place?"

"Uh, uh," Tara held her hand up as in stopping her. "Never ask any questions. Never," Tara emphasized. "The last girl who asked that ended up dead. They are everywhere."

"I know about vampires," Elena whispered.

"That doesn't mean anything," Tara said, confirming that she knew about vampires herself. "You're privileged, because at least you know why they're feeding on you. But everyone finds out, eventually." She sighed and turned to her. "Look, I know you might think that I'm a heartless bitch for throwing these things at you like that, but there is no other way. They don't kill people for nothing-well, apart from Stefan, cause if he's having a bad day then…" She stopped, seeing that Elena had turned as pale as a sheet. "Anyway. If you obey them, you won't have any problems. Don't ask for food, and don't ask 'why'. Just do what they ask. Very few of us know what our purpose here is. They might make you work, they might not. Just do what they say and you'll live."

"O-okay," Elena stammered. As weird and freaky as this was all seeming, she couldn't find any questions to ask... although she apparently wasn't even allowed to wonder. She couldn't understand how the 'bad' vampires like Stefan got away with things like this. All these girls-they were human young women that belonged to families. They went missing, surely somebody had to look for them? Nothing added up.

"Also, there is no use trying to escape. The only people that go out are because their owner allowed them to, or escorted them. These are usually privileged and trusted people who either are in the process of becoming vampires or they love vampirism so much that they are almost considered vampires themselves. Regular humans don't see the sunlight often." Tara explained to Elena. People who love vampirism so much they consider themselves one of them? That was twisted, that was unheard of.

She grabbed the mop and helped Elena. "I wouldn't worry much if I were you. If Stefan bought you, he probably doesn't want to kill you. Stefan never buys humans. He owns the place, practically…because Klaus hasn't been here in ages."

Elena stopped dead at the mention of Klaus's name. Was this Klaus the same Klaus that wanted her? The same Klaus that killed Damon's girlfriend, Katherine?

"Where is he?" Elena found herself asking.

"Who knows. He said that he had some important business to attend to." The girl said shrugging, as if she couldn't care less and she probably couldn't. The girl sighed. "Enough questions for now."

* * *

"I believe Tara explained the procedure?" Stefan was sipping at his bourbon. Elena was informed that her chores had to be done by one, and she had to return to her room immediately afterwards. It was like a prison of all girls and there were so many rules that Elena felt like her head was constantly spinning. She had to abide by every rule at all times or else she would be punished with death or torture. It was stupid, the entire place was stupid along with all its stupid rules. She wished her Damon would come rescue her and take her out of this hell hole.

When she opened the door, she found Stefan on the couch, drinking.

Elena nodded her head.

"Any more questions?" Stefan said, bringing the glass of amber liquid to his lips and drinking viciously.

"No, sir," She said, looking straight to his eyes. Always maintain eye contact with the vampire, she remembered Tara saying.

"You're already becoming more…agreeable," Stefan smirked. "Guess you really are the doppelgänger after all. Katherine was very much agreeable." He smirked at her, and Elena once again felt uneasy. "You look just like her you know, that's how I knew you'd be of use to me. She was so quaint, so obedient. I expect you to hold that title."

"Come sit next to me," He ordered her, patting the couch. Elena took a deep breath, knowing well that she couldn't say no. Maybe he'd leave her alone.

He poured her a glass of bourbon. "Drink," He ordered.

Elena took a long sip, as Stefan watched every movement. "I didn't get a chance to get to know you, Elena." His hands were on her hips, stroking little circles. "Damon took you away from me, he was always very selfish."

Elena sat frozen as a statue.

"How old are you?" His hand grazed across her cheek sending shivers down her spine. The way his hands moved on her cheek reminded her that she was nothing except for a toy, an object. She had no say in what was going to happen to her.

"Seventeen," She replied, noticing how he was moving closer to her. She had to fight every fibre in her body to stay still.

He played with a lock of her hair and placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder, nipping softly at the skin. "Tell me, Elena, do you have any family left?"

"No," She lied, but Stefan startled her by laughing a laugh that echoed between those four walls.

"Never lie to me," He said seriously. "You'll be sorry."

He moved closer, but this time, Elena scooted away. His hands shot out and stopped her.

"Tsk, tsk, Elena," He said teasingly. "Do I really disgust you this much? I'm hurt." He pretended to be hurt. "You hurt my feelings, Elena."

"Fuck you and your feelings!" Elena screamed, attempting to run towards the door in a moment of panic and rage. She had barely made it ten centimetres away when she felt Stefan pull her back. She was thrown on the bed and he climbed on top of her ridding her of her free will. His hands pinned hers against her sides as she tried to kick and wiggle free.

"Now I'm mad," Stefan growled, letting his face transform in front of her. She screamed and hit at him aimlessly, until he slapped her across the face. Her hands automatically went to rub the area, and Stefan took this opportunity to pin her hands next to her head seeing them by her sides wasn't working too well.

"Please, let me go," Elena gasped pitifully as he placed kisses on her neck and bit down. "Stefan! Let me go."

He drank for no more than two seconds, which wasn't even enough to make her feel light-headed.

His hands played with her dress, and it was then that Elena realized that he was going to probably rape her. He ripped the dress in half, leaving her with her undergarments and he climbed on top of her, placing kisses on her stomach, up to her breasts and then her lips. He grinned at the shredded material in his hands and tossed it to one side. She turned her head away to disallow it, but her struggle was no use. He grabbed her face roughly and forced her to look at him. He planted his lips on her hungrily and painfully, kissing with more than enough force than needed. She could feel her lips swelling at the contact and she did the only thing she could think of. She bit down on his lip, hard. When she felt her head come in contact with the headboard though, she realized that that probably wasn't the brightest idea she had. Groggily, she kept struggling against him but he was too strong for her. A normal guy would be too strong for her to fight off let alone a vampire. This was down right impossible and she hated the feeling of hopelessness and vulnerability but there was nothing more she could do.

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she realized the reality of her very near, unavoidable future. And at that moment, she wanted to die. That would be better than this hell.

* * *

Klaus heard her scream, but he wouldn't budge. The person he was possessing was fighting back, he could feel that. The real Damon, trapped inside, was hearing Elena's scream and he wanted to break free, just to help her. And rightfully so, but Klaus pushed back ten times harder, not letting any trace of Damon win. Klaus knew that he couldn't let Damon do that. No, no measly human was going to ruin his plans.

* * *

**Hope you liked it, and please review!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Important AN: Since this story kinda turned out to be on the borderline of T, I changed the rating to M. HOWEVER, if I were to classify it, I would stick to between Strong T and Light M. Since there is no T+ here in fanfiction, I decided it is better to change it into M, but there won't be anything too graphic.**

**A great thanks to my beta reader Courtney (:**

* * *

Elena laid still on the bed, too traumatized to move. She dared not to move, frightful of what would happen. He climbed off of her and rolled onto his side casually as if nothing had happened. She couldn't even cry, she just laid there and waited as he climbed off the bed and put on his shirt and pants.

"Go and take a shower," He ordered her coldly. "Mend your dress."

Elena didn't even acknowledge what he was saying. In fact, at that time she was so not in her right state of mind that she didn't even realize that she was going to have to walk around with nothing but a towel on, because her dress definitely could not be fixed-He had torn it in half. She rose from the bed and didn't even acknowledge that she wasn't wearing anything and she didn't dare look at him.

But when she went to the bathroom, Elena let out the sob she had been holding as she opened the ice cold water and desperately tried to shower the feel of his hands off her. She tried to wash away the pain and the dirty feeling she couldn't seem to shake off. She felt violated, different. She was sore and in pain but most of all she was disgusted. She poured the water with more force and scrubbed her body harder desperately trying to erase him from her. She grabbed a towel and dried off and realized that that was the only thing that she could 'wear'. She tied it around her body tightly, took a deep breath and exited the bathroom.

When she went back to the bedroom, his eyes greedily took in her figure again, and she half-expected him to force her back to bed with him. But he just shrugged and said, "Go to the kitchen. They need help there."

She waited for him to continue, but he remained silent, drinking his bourbon. Then he sighed, annoyed. "Are you not fluent in the English language? I thought I told you to go."

"I h-have nothing to w-wear, sir," Elena whimpered, fearing his reaction, and almost expecting a blow on her cheek or worse.

"Oh," Stefan smirked, making a show of eyeing her over. "But I am not seeing a problem."

Her blood ran cold at his little sentence.

"You see, I should let you walk around naked for that little stunt you pulled on me earlier. It'd be…interesting to see the other vampires' reaction, no?" He grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "What do you think, Elena?"

"Please, don't," She begged. It was true, she had lost all her woman rights already but the thought of other vampires touching her made her cringe even though she was not in her right state of mind. He was worse enough. She didn't think she'd be able to handle anything else.

"Oh well," Stefan said. "Since I'm feeling generous today, I think I might give you another dress," He opened a drawer which was padlocked and she saw blood bags, weapons…everything that was enough to make her throw up. He took out another grey dress, similar to the one she was wearing before. "And besides-I'd much rather keep your body to myself." He gave it to her and just before she could move he pulled her tight against him. "Don't even think for a second that I won't get paid for this extra dress I gave you," He hinted cruelly. "If you disobey me again, I'll make sure that every vampire feast on your delicious blood."

She remained frozen as he placed a kiss on her temple. It was gentle and soothing, and if she didn't know any better she would have thought that it was an encouraging kiss but she knew that his kisses and touch were a form of branding. "Go on, change," He said, tapping her on her behind. "And don't disappoint me but I'm sure you already know that."

* * *

"There's a dinner party tonight," Tara explained as she showed Elena the room. "There will be lots of vampires. It is held once a month or so and they usually talk about new rules and stuff. Like a vampire rights club."

Elena shivered. "And they have a dinner party?" It seemed a bit odd. I mean, they didn't need actual food. So what was their 'dinner'?

"You don't have to worry. By dinner, I mean food. But they do drink from the women sometimes," Tara explained coldly. How could she talk about the subject so naturally? But Elena was relieved to hear that they actually ate food, to say the least.

"What do we have to do?" Elena asked half-heartedly.

"Basically? You have to impress them. On these nights, they usually set a person free. Well, not free exactly, but Klaus usually picks a girl and gives her to the Original family-his brothers." Tara got excited at the subject, it seemed as if it were a good thing. How could that be so?

"Basically you're jumping from the frying pan into the fire." Elena proposed.

"No. You might not be completely free, but I guarantee you, their conditions are better than here. And two of them, Finn and Elijah, care about human lives. They probably let you go. Just pray you'll get chosen by Klaus." But why would she need you get chosen by Klaus if Finn and Elijah were the ones that cared for human life? Not much of it was clear to Elena but she acted as if she was understanding it.

Knowing there was no way that she could be chosen because Klaus needed her for his epic plan that she didn't know about, Elena sighed, but continued anyway. "What do I have to do?"

"Simple. Do anything that they want from you. Anything. Just do it, no questions, no doubts, no drama."

Elena's breath caught in her throat.

"Also, we have to prepare the meals together. Make sure that you follow our instructions. Now, grab the chicken and start cutting it to julienne strips." Tara said, rolling her eyes. She didn't like the whole obedience thing too much either.

Elena had no other choice other to comply.

* * *

When they were done, the girls and Elena sat around the table. They were lucky to be given the leftovers and as they sat down to eat, Elena saw a blonde little girl, who was maybe three years old.

"Oh my God, what is she doing here?" Elena gasped when she saw the little girl who was drawing.

"That's Elle," Tara said. "Don't worry. She's one of the luckiest people here."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked. How could a little human girl be lucky? She could only imagine the cruel things they did to that poor child...

"She's being raised by Victoria." Tara explained but she was still leaving Elena directly in the dark.

"Victoria?"

"She's a vampire. She just lives here, I guess. She never takes part in the human torturing. She doesn't even drink from the vein." She shrugged.

"I see," Elena said. "But the girl…she's not her daughter, right?"

"No. Victoria is raising her because Elle is an orphan. Her mother was a friend of Victoria's. They say she died in front of Victoria's eyes, and she raised her as hers. I don't know the full story but that's what people say."

"Oh my God." Elena's hands flew over her mouth. Even though Victoria was living here like the rest of them, Tara described her as one of the good ones. One of the caring ones.

"I'm surprised Klaus even let her to raise her in a place like this. I don't know Victoria's story exactly, but they say she had to come and live here against her will. But she loves Elle very much. That girl is truly lucky." Tara carried on, glancing from Elena to Elle continuously.

"Are there any more children, besides Elle?"

"Yes. But not all of them are lucky. Some were born here. It wasn't the first time a vampire brought a girl here and then they discover she was pregnant. Others get pregnant while they're here." What exactly was she trying to tell her? Elena's heart rate quickened.

"Wait, what are you saying? I thought vampires can't procreate."

"Vampires don't, but humans do," Tara said. "Some of the bodyguards are human."

"Oh my God! They know what's happening to us and they join? They turn against their race?" She asked in a disgusted tone. How could humans watch vampires do that to other humans?

"You can't blame anyone, Elena. You don't know what's keeping them here." Tara told her. "For all we know, they're compelled. And if not, they could be being threatened. Maybe the vampires will kill them, or their family, you never know somebody's true story. That doesn't make it okay for them to just let this happen to us but at least we could know where they were coming from."

"I know," Elena sighed. "But Tara…how can you be so casual? You talk about this place like it is something normal."

Tara sighed. "It was hard too, at the beginning. Everything is. But you'll just have to get used to it. But let me tell you something, Elena, I am here because I want to. I can leave any time I please."

Elena's eyes widened.

"My owner wrote that I had to be set free if, or when, he died. He died two years ago." She said quietly, it seemed as if she really cared about her owner.

"Then why don't you leave?" Elena suggested. "You could have your life back-your freedom."

"Because it's what I know, Elena. I'm thirty two years old. I have been here since I was fifteen years old. Where would I go? My parents are dead. I used to live in an orphanage. There is no point in returning back home. I know that it might sound weird to you, but to me it's natural. It's true, as long as I'm here, I am forced to work but I'm not entirely sad. My owner took care of me. He wrote that I should be treated well if I stayed here after his death. I can even go out, if I like."

Elena still couldn't understand how could anyone prefer this hell than building up a new life, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she continued to eat. She knew it would be useless to try and convince her to leave, if she hadn't left in two years. She wasn't planning on leaving, ever.

* * *

She was walking back to her room when suddenly she stopped dead at the sight of the familiar black, raven hair. She held on to the wall for support because she felt her legs turn to jelly when he turned into her direction. Her eyes watered, and despite all the things he had put her through, she desperately wanted to just run up to him, hug him and beg him to come back and take her out of this hell hole. Truth be told, she missed him, his touch, his kisses and his comforting words.

He looked at her with no emotion in his eyes, in fact, his expression was cold and cruel. Tears escaped from her eyes as he turned his back on her, but then before she could react, he let out a gasp of pain and fell on the floor, twisting and holding his chest in front of her. Elena panicked and ran to help him, only when she tried to move, Damon's head raised and she met his blue, teary eyes.

"Help me!" He yelled, "I'm not…."

But then in an instant, he fell unconscious on the floor, his nose bleeding. Elena moved closer to him, but a rough hand wrapped around her ankle and she was met with red eyes and black veins.

"What did you do to me?" He barked, holding her so tightly that she feared that her bones were going to snap.

"Nothing! I've done nothing wrong!" She begged, "Please, Damon, you're hurting me!"

Panic suddenly filled the room. First Klaus-Damon let another gasp of pain and then Elena found herself being thrown harshly to the other side of the room. Out of nowhere, Stefan had appeared and he had pushed her with so much strength that she practically flew to the other side.

"How dare you let this little bitch do whatever she pleases," Damon-Klaus roared at Stefan. "If you can't control her, I'll take her. I swear to God."

"I apologize," Stefan said through his teeth. "Elena is going to have a hell to pay when we're finished," He looked at the brunette who was bleeding violently and feeling nauseous since she had hit her head pretty hard. She couldn't really concentrate on what they were saying but she heard the part about her having to pay for what she had done. Perhaps she needed to be enlightened herself because she didn't know what the fuck she had done wrong. She had seen Damon, that was all.

Damon-Klaus straightened up, looking at the bunch of girls who were now surrounding him. "Go and fulfill your chores!" He barked at them, causing them to practically disappear. "And you," He turned to Stefan, "Learn to control your humans. Now leave me."

"I'm sorry-" Stefan began but got cut off by an even louder roar.

"Go!"

* * *

Stefan didn't say another word to her. He kept his firm grip on her arm the entire way through the corridor to their room. She cried, stumbled and thrashed, but it was no use. He pulled her in and locked the door behind him in rage.

"What the fuck did you do, Elena?" He barked in her face. "Just who the hell do you think you are? You are nothing, Elena. You are nothing more than a whore to every vampire in this house. And if you think you're any different than you are mistaken. Tragically mistaken!" He growled, giving her a hard slap on the face. His hand on her cheek made a gruesome sound and it snapped Elena's head to the side. Her cheek immediately reddened. The worst part was, she didn't know what she had done.

"I didn't do anything," she begged, holding her cheek. "What could I have done? It's not that I'm in a position to do much…" Elena cried. And it was true…She couldn't understand a thing. Since when did Stefan bow down to Damon's wills? Since when did Stefan treated Damon with respect and also fear?

He circled her, much in a matter of a predator stalking its prey. He came up behind her and placed his hands on her waist, pulling her tightly against his body. He yanked her hair to a side so that he could run his nose up and down her neck. Her scalp was burning with the pressure, but she remained still. "I like your fire," He said, biting roughly on her ear. "It makes you an intriguing mortal." She felt disgusted as he touched her. She'd rather be dead than in the arms of him-this monster.

She stood frozen as his hands once more started to roam around her body. One of his hands stroked her hair back and he started to place small kisses on her neck, teasingly. She squirmed as he placed his face in the crook of her neck and continued to kiss and lick like she was his own personal property. The other one ran on her stomach, to her waist and hips, disgusting her even more.

"You're afraid, aren't you?" He continued to taunt her as his hands rested on the hem of her dress, bunching the material in his rough hands. But before anything else could happen there was a light knock on the door.

Stefan growled and let her go. "What?" He barked.

"Sir, the first guest has arrived. Elena is needed in the kitchen," Tara said, eyeing Elena.

"Who?" He demanded, wanting to have his way with the brunette.

"Kol Mikaelsen, sir. He's waiting for you." The other human explained causing Stefan to huff, puff and roll his eyes.

"Fine," He snapped, and then eyed Elena with disgust. He turned to Tara. "Make her presentable. I have other things to do." With that, he turned to Elena. "Later, sweetheart," He said, rubbing her arm and placing a kiss on her cheek. With that, he vanished.

Elena broke down in front of Tara, and the latter ran up to her and hugged her. "I want to leave, Tara, help me leave…"

"You know I can't, Elena. Shh, it'll get better, I promise…" She soothed her, rubbing Elena's back and wiping away her tears. And she truly didn't-Even though they let her go outside, she was compelled to not reveal the entrance of this place. Every human that was brought there was blindfolded, so no one knew where they were.

"No, it won't." Elena sobbed into her hands. "It's not going to. It never will."

* * *

**What do you think? Do you think Damon is slowly breaking through Klaus? Please Review :D**


	23. Chapter 23

Hey readers :) Sorry for the long wait-but I wrote a long chapter at least ;)

Thanks to my beta, Cdaye8184 for helping me out :'D Check out her stories! xx

* * *

"Mr. Mikaelson," Stefan smiled politely and shook Kol's hands. "Always great to have you here. Did the last human satisfy you?"

"Not really. I killed her after three days," Kol smirked, patting Stefan on the shoulder. "It's good to see you chose to be on the best side of this, Stefan. I'm sure Klaus will reward those who follow him." He paused and sipped on the blood he was drinking.

"I'm sure," Stefan smirked back. "Are your siblings here?"

"My only concern's Rebekah. You know Elijah and Finn don't really join me." He smirked. "Besides, we are not exactly _compatible."_

"I'm sorry." Stefan offered, just to remain on the Original's good side.

"Don't be. They don't appreciate vampirism. I hate to say that I'm related to them." He muttered the last bit but it didn't slip past Stefan's ears, not that he pushed it much further anyway.

"I can understand. A human made my brother weak as well."

"I know," Kol said, "It's always a shame, seeing our kind falling for them." He sipped the blood once again. "Speaking of, I hear that there is the Petrova doppelgänger around. Let's just say I'm interested in meeting her. Can you send her to me?"

Stefan gritted his teeth. He didn't like giving Elena to other vampires, she was his leverage. And she was his. But he knew better than to say no to an original, who, after all, had more authority than him.

"The girl belongs to me," Stefan replied. "It is definitely not a problem."

"I see. Go and bring her then," Kol turned away and poured himself a drink.

"Of course." Stefan gritted his teeth, not liking the idea at all.

* * *

"I thought I told you to make her presentable," Stefan growled at Tara, barging in the room without knocking. Tara was still brushing Elena's tangled hair.

"We're not done yet, Stefan," Tara said firmly.

"And who gave you the permission to call me Stefan?" Stefan barked and in a second, he was in front of Tara, grabbing her face with rough hands.

"You know you can't touch me, Stefan," Tara said again, challenging him. "It's in the contract. No vampire is to touch me."

But she had barely finished the words. Stefan had her pinned to the wall, her head crashing painfully. "Listen up, bitch. I don't give a fuck about the contract. I practically own this place now, and I won't tolerate any disobedience."

"Let her go! You're hurting her!" Another tiny voice joined in, and Stefan turned his attention to Elena.

"I think you better shut up now, princess. I still need to set things right with you," He threatened, "Don't make it harder to yourself, because you wouldn't like it."

He let Tara go and stalked towards Elena. "Someone special wants to see you, and you have to be presentable." He eyed her with disgust, and then barked, "Tara, leave us. Now."

Tara threw an apologetic look at Elena, and the latter nodded. She knew that Tara couldn't do anything about it nor did she expect her to.

Stefan took the brush Tara had been using and started to brush her hair, smoothing it with his hand and twisting the small waves at the tips. His green eyes locked with hers in the mirror as he clipped a butterfly pin on her head.

"Take off your dress," He ordered her, and without any hesitation, Elena took off her grey, dirty dress and waited as she stood vulnerable in front of him, with just her lingerie. To her surprise, however, he didn't make any comments or did anything to make her uncomfortable. Instead, he took out a gold and red knee-length dress and dressed her.

"Humans have to look beautiful tonight, Elena," He said, reaching out to caress her cheek with his cold fingers. He placed a kiss on her temple and put a finger under her chin. His touch sent shivers throughout her body but not in a good way. He only acted nice and sweet when he had something extremely evil planned. She feared Stefan, there was no doubt about that but it was too the point now where she couldn't even predict his motives. He was too clever.

"Now, let me explain some things to you about tonight." He took her hand and guided her to the bed, where he sat her on his lap, making sure that she is facing him. He twirled his finger around a little curl, tugging at it slightly. "Tell me, Elena. What's going to happen tonight?"

"There will be a dinner," She said in monotone. "I will do what the vampires ask me to do, no questions and no hesitations." Tara had rehearsed Elena properly. She was not afraid of answering.

"Good girl," He smiled, clearly pleased with her. "And if I ask you to offer a drink, you will offer your hand to the other vampires, but you will give me your neck. Do you understand, Elena?"

"Yes, I do, sir." She nodded without emotion or expression. It was nothing more than words.

"Then I will escort you to the room. Like I said, there is someone waiting for you." He smirked at her and placed a kiss on her cheek, his lips lingering there for a few seconds. "You look really beautiful tonight, Elena. Don't screw this up. I won't hurt you if you don't disappoint me."

His words were gentle, but the effect of it was lethal. She was constantly reminded that she was a slave. He had dressed her, for hell's sake. He had brushed her hair and made sure she looked 'presentable'. He treated her like a plastic doll that he could play with whenever he wanted. She had no control any more. She had nothing. He grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip and a few minutes later they were in another room. Stefan knocked twice and kept his gaze on her.

A few minutes later, a tall man with dark hair and eyes opened the door. He appeared to be no more than twenty-two years old, but Elena knew better. She couldn't trust what she sees in a place like this.

"Ah," He spoke in a slight British accent, smiling at Elena. "You're here. Stefan, I need a few moments with the lady. Please leave us."

"Of course," Stefan said through clenched teeth, holding Elena's arms so hard that his nails were practically digging under her skin.

With a whoosh, Stefan left and Elena was left alone standing in front of Kol who was looking at her with curiosity and amusement written all over his handsome face. He smirked. "Get inside, girl."

She moved hesitantly, feeling scared and confused, but she crossed her arms and observed the room. It was a beautiful room, if you could even call it that. It was more like a penthouse since it was huge. There was a table with four chairs and a kitchen, a large bathroom, and two bedrooms.

Elena stood still before him when he turned his gaze on her. He sensed her fear and smiled. "You're wise to fear me…but right now, you don't have to."

He motioned for her to sit down on the couch, and he joined her. "What's your name, love?"

"Elena Gilbert," She replied shakily.

"Well, Elena, my name's Kol Mikaelson," He gave her his hand, expecting her to shake it. She did after several seconds.

"You're probably wondering why I brought you here," Kol smirked, standing up and pouring what it seemed like coffee. Coffee!She hadn't tasted it in way too long. He saw her looking at the cup and smirked. "Do you want some coffee?"

"No," She said quickly, too quickly. She wished she hadn't replied as fast, she actually did want coffee. It was something normal for a change.

"Are you sure, Elena? I won't bite."

She looked down and nodded her head. She was thirsty, so thirsty. And hungry. Most of all, she felt weak and exhausted. The last time she had eaten were leftovers who didn't fill her up that much.

He smirked and handed her the cup.

"Thank you," She said softly, afraid to look at him. Kol stared at her, studying her. He was surprised by her existence, but mostly her beauty. His eyes locked on her body, scanning it, and he frowned.

"What happened there?" Kol asked, taking a few steps towards her, his eyes locking with the purple bruises on her body.

"Nothing," She replied, trying to cover her bruises, feeling uncomfortable under his blatant gaze.

"Were you a bad girl, Elena?" He said amused, his mouth tugging upwards.

"No," She choked out.

He sighed, reaching forward to grasp her chin. "Tell me, Elena. What do you know about Katerina Petrova? Or, Katherine Pierce as you might know her?"

"I just know that I look like her," Elena answered without hesitation. "She is Damon's ex-girlfriend, and Klaus wants to hurt me because I look like her. I used to have dreams about Klaus burning me alive. Damon said that he wants me because I'm the key to make more hybrids…He said that if he doesn't use me, Klaus will be alone for eternity."

"Of course," Kol spat. "Klaus sacrificed Katherine, and now he's going to use you."

"And you didn't know this?" Elena asked quietly.

"When I heard that the Petrova doppelgänger is around, I knew that there would be some kind of connection," He replied coldly. "Now, I need you to listen to me, Elena. From now onwards, you will do as I say."

"Stefan…" She began, knowing full well what would happen if she disobeyed him again.

"Stefan has less authority than me, Miss Gilbert, and so do you. When I tell you to do something you will obey me without hesitation." He raised his voice at her, but remained seated next to her, waiting for her reaction. She didn't move.

"Yes, sir," Elena said, trembling again. She knew that Kol was an original, like Klaus. He could easily hurt her.

"I can't let Klaus go through with his plans." Kol told her.

_What? Did she miss something here?_

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"Don't ask any questions," Kol warned, grabbing her chin forcefully. He was mad, that was not good at all.

"I'm sorry-"

"Shut up and let me talk," Kol snapped, and Elena flinched but turned to face him.

"I am not doing this for your benefit, believe me. But I'm not going to let Klaus make you his hybrid machine. I will get you through this, but you need to cooperate. And I don't want you to ask any questions. Let's just say that this is a form of alliance."

Elena blinked. He could get her through this? How? Did he know how to kill Klaus? Did he know what was wrong with Damon? "And what do you want me to do?" She asked hopefully.

"Right now, I want you to act like nothing happened. Go back to Stefan, and act normal. Do what he asks of you, and let me take care of this. I will ask for you when I figured out some things. I believe that your boyfriend is acting strange, no?" He raised his eyebrow at her and smirked, as if already knowing the answer.

How did he know about that? She hadn't mentioned anything. She nodded.

"Let me tell you something, Elena. I am not keen on vampire-human relationships. I've been there and done that, and it didn't end up well for anyone. But I am concerned about Damon and his sudden change in demeanour I will help you." He stood up and offered her his hand. "Now go, and good luck for tonight." He wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively, and in a minute, she found herself outside, more confused than ever.

* * *

She had barely walked through the door when she found Stefan on the bed, drinking. His eyes raised to meet hers.

"What did Kol want?" He asked her with venom in his voice.

"Nothing. He just wanted to get to know me that's all,"Elena said, trying to be cool and collected as she walked past the mirror, smoothing her hair and wearing a pair of silver earrings, trying to avoid his eyes.

In a minute, he flashed in front of her, his body pinning hers. His hands reached to grip her upper arms so tightly that they started to turn pink. "Don't lie to me, you little bitch. You'll be sorry," Stefan barked, his hands wrapping around her neck, "Tell me, what did he want?"

"I told you, Sir. He just wanted to know about me. The basic stuff. He knows I'm the doppelgänger," She struggled against him. "That's it, I swear."

"Hmm," Stefan let her neck go and she breathed in air, her hands gently rubbing the area where his supernatural strength left its imprints. "It would be wise of you not to lie to me," He said next to her ear, placing a kiss on her earlobe. "Because I can ruin your pretty little face in a heartbeat if you challenge me, Elena. Don't even believe I won't."His hands ran down her body and rested on her hips. "Keep that in mind."

He stepped away from her, leaving her pinned to the wall. "Get ready. The ceremony starts in thirty minutes." She was shaken up from lying to Stefan but she trusted Kol more than Stefan, if only a little because she couldn't trust anybody here.

* * *

The vampires were all seated around long tables, laughing and smirking and undressing the human girls with their eyes. Elena's stomach churned, and Tara sensed her discomfort.

"Don't show them that you're afraid," She whispered in her ear. "Be confident. Think of this as a job, okay?"

Elena nodded, trying to swallow back her tears. She was given jars of blood to place on the table-Stefan's table, of all. She walked slowly in her six inch heels which were already hurting her so much.

She heard comments from every vampire as she poured blood in their glasses. She felt every pair of eyes on her, and she hurriedly did her job, hoping that she won't get called on by anyone. She wasn't so lucky.

"Hey, sweet cheeks," One of them said disgustingly. "Give me your wrist, dear."

Elena knew what he meant. He wanted to taste her blood. Tara had explained the procedure. On these nights, the vampires shared everything. Every human they owned.

She gave him her wrist without any hesitation, and looked away from him, not wanting to see him ripping her skin. The other vampires started to laugh at this, but she acted cool and collected as his teeth ripped into her harshly. She flinched at the sudden pain but only a little, not giving the strange vampire the satisfaction of making her feel fear and pain. She concealed it to the best of her ability.

"Nice choice, Stefan," The vampire said. "You know how to choose."

Hating to be treated as a property, Elena went next to Tara and started to serve the food. There was chicken, meat, pasta…Everything a starving human slave could dream about. All was going well: The disgusting leeches were drinking, laughing and tormenting the young human girls. There was entertainment, dancing and singing.

Then all stopped, and a vampire bowed down. For a moment, Elena remained standing, and Tara nudged her elbow. "Kneel down, now."

She did so hearing Tara's insistence, and whispered, "What's going on?"

"Klaus is here. Shh, this is a sacred moment for the leeches." Tara placed her finger to her lips as she watched Elena kneel along side of her.

Klaus. After months of hearing about him, she was finally going to meet him. A few minutes later, a man dressed in a black and grey suit walked through the door like some kind of Greek god. He greeted everyone and smirked. He was handsome, like the rest of them, of course. He had blonde hair and green eyes, and if he wasn't a century old monster, he would've made women swoon at his accent when he started to speak. He was English, like Kol, obviously.

Stefan stood up and greeted him, to which Elena scoffed. Of course, Stefan was his pet-slave as well. Klaus controlled everyone. Her stomach churned when Klaus brushed against her deliberately and let a finger touch one of her waves. It disgusted her.

He moved until he was standing in front of everybody.

"Ladies and gentlemen," He smirked. "Welcome to yet another event. We all know how important this is to us. On these nights, we forget our positions, our belongings. We share everything like vampires are supposed to do. We are united, and we should stay this way because we are superior. We own this world," He raised his glass of blood and everyone did the same, sipping a few drops.

Elena was about to throw up.

"As you know, my brothers are not keen on this…human ownership thing. So, in order to keep peace between every vampire on this earth, tonight we liberate a few humans. Tonight I decided to let five go."

Klaus walked through the line of human girls and they closed their eyes, hoping that they will be the ones to get chosen. He put his hands on a young redhead, a little boy, and three other girls.

Elena saw two vampires rising.

"Elijah and Finn," Tara explained. "The ones chosen are going to be taken to them."

"What happens then?" She whispered.

"They compel them and let them go. Or, in some cases, keep them as…servants. It depends, but I guarantee you, their conditions are better than ours." Tara explained.

"What about the other one? I spoke to him earlier. He's Kol right?" She asked.

"Oh. Kol is the younger brother. He owns human slaves, and he's definitely not good."

Elena swallowed thickly. He didn't give her that impression earlier.

The music started again, and this time, the food was served. There was everything: pasta, chicken, meat, fish…all foods that a starving human slave would imagine. Wine and fruit was served in large quantities. Elena noticed Klaus's and Stefan's gazes on her the entire night. Klaus was even looking at her with a challenging look.

What confused Elena was that Damon wasn't there-He was nowhere to be seen.

At about one in the morning, Elena was feeling pretty exhausted. Her stilettos were cutting through her skin and most of all, she was cold. She was serving some red wine on a table when she turned around and bumped into someone's hard chest. The glasses fell on the tray she was holding, but the contents were on the vampire's chest in an instant. His eyes burnt to her and in a brief second, the tray with the shattered glasses was placed on the table. She found herself being held from her underarm and practically blurred through the door.

"I'm sorry, sir, it was an accident!" Elena sobbed when he took her in an abandoned area and slapped her hard on the face.

"An accident, huh? Your hate for vampires is practically radiating off your body. But don't worry, because my hate for humans is just the same," He said, tangling his hand in her hair and yanking it, hard. His other hand went to his belt and Elena froze in horror. No, she couldn't go through this, not again.

To her surprise, however, he didn't do what she thought he'd do. Instead, he grabbed it and gave her three hard whips on her back. Elena cried out in pain and tried to wiggle free out of his grasp, but it was all for nothing. She was aware that her back was probably bleeding as the leather dug into her skin. She felt broken and everything hurt-even her vision was starting to blur.

Then, she felt him move off her, and when Elena opened her eyes, she saw Kol holding him by his throat, pinning the vampire to the wall. She gasped in surprise and fear when she saw the stake in the vampire's heart, but she could barely keep her eyes open. She slid against the wall and let the darkness overwhelm her.

* * *

"Elena, wake up," She heard a soft voice gently waking her up, but everything was distant and buzzing. With supreme effort, she opened her eyes, only to see Kol sitting on the bed next to her. He looked genuinely worried. Elena's eyes scanned around the room and she snuggled in the soft pillow. God, this bed was soft and comfortable. She felt…bad, but comfortable. She looked at herself only to see her wearing a soft, white cotton robe. Who'd changed her?

"How are you feeling?" He asked her gently.

"I hurt all over," Elena mumbled. "What happened?"

"He beat you up pretty hard. You could barely talk to me, and then you collapsed," Kol said, turning to grab a warm wash cloth. "I picked you up and brought you here."

"How long have I been out?" She asked, looking around, taking in her surroundings.

"Thirty minutes." Kol looked at her and swallowed, hard.

"Did you undress me?" She asked, gulping hoping he'd say no.

"You were bleeding. I had to." He said quickly. "I need to tend your wounds, Elena. You were bleeding when I brought you here. I didn't know if you'd want blood or not, so I just wiped the blood off."

"Okay," She said after some hesitation. So this vampire didn't want to hurt her. Interesting. "No blood, please."

He nodded. "I need you to take off your robe, Elena."

Her heart started to beat faster.

"Don't worry, Elena. I can control myself. I won't hurt you."

Swallowing thickly, she took off the white robe and placed it next to her, and tried to dig under the covers as much as possible. Her face had turned red with humiliation, as she stood there with only her underwear.

He placed the warm cloth on her back, and Elena immediately felt soothed. Then, he took out some kind of lotion and rubbed it on her wounds.

"Thank you," Elena said softly. "Why did you save me?"

He shrugged. "I don't want you dead, Elena." He answered, without answering at all.

"Whatever your reason is…I'm glad you came to my aid." She gave him a soft smile. "I already feel better."

"Good," He stopped rubbing the lotion and sat beside her. "I think I know what happened to Damon, Elena."

"What? How?" Elena stood up immediately, wincing slightly.

"I need you to tell me one thing, though. What happened? What were the symptoms?" Kol asked.

"He was acting normally until he got sick-really sick. Then he passed out on me and he woke up to be this different person. He…brought me here."

"Have you seen him here?" Kol raised his eyebrow, still gently rubbing the lotion into Elena's back.

"Yes." She nodded slowly wondering where he was going with this.

"What was his reaction?"

"I don't know, Kol. At first he was acting like he was in pain, that he needed my help. Then he had this sudden change of demeanour and attacked me…"

"Of course," Kol spat. "Of course."

"What? Do you know anything, Kol?" Elena pleaded.

"Try and think, Elena. His sudden change of demeanour. The way he woke up and he was a different person. The sickness. Does it remind you of something?"

Elena furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, but then realization hit her. "Possession," She cried out. "It has to be possession. Stefan was acting differently with Damon, as well!" She gasped. "Oh my God, Kol. I think it's Klaus. He's possessing Damon!"

_That's why I didn't see him tonight, she thought. Of course, because the real Klaus was there, then Damon obviously had to be somewhere else. But where?_

"I think I know where," Kol said, and Elena was unaware that she said her thoughts out loud.

"Kol, please…Help me find him. Where is he?" She pleaded desperately.

"Not now, Elena. We have to plan this. If any of us get caught, Klaus will kill Damon. You're going to have to trust me." He looked at her and locked eye contact with the brunette. And in his eyes she saw something genuine. Something that made her believe he was actually going to help her, she knew he would at that moment.

* * *

Why do you think Kol is helping Elena? Please review and tell me what you think. Just for your information, I love Elena and Kol together, though they only had two scenes.


	24. Chapter 24

Finally, I updated. God, I was so busy- Very shitty weeks. But anyway, you got an update-hooray! I also updated "My Last Chance in saving my humanity" and Courtney updated "What Lies Beneath" the story we are co-writing together. Please leave a review :D

* * *

Elena froze on the couch hearing Kol's determined words. Her heart was now filled with hope, hope that her Damon was still there, and that it wasn't Damon who betrayed her. It was Klaus-It was all Klaus. Damon was just a victim, he was being possessed. It had been Klaus all along... now it made sense

"Kol, I will do anything to save Damon," Elena replied, "I love him."

Kol nodded his head. "There are a lot of sacrifices to be made, Elena. There is a long journey ahead of us. No one messes with Klaus, so we won't see lines of witches ready to help."

"What about me? What do you want me to do?" She asked, needing to help in any way possible.

"Listen up, Elena. Klaus is out of control. There was a time where this place was heaven. But now, every time I step inside, all I see is disaster. I want this place under my watch, I could make this place bearable. Luxurious even. It's a bloody massacre out there. Vampires getting exposed and I won't stand for it."

"Why is it so important to you that your secret stays safe?" Elena asked without second thought.

"That is none of your business, Elena. I might be helping you, but you still have to submit to me." His words were soft, but Elena shivered.

"I'm sorry," She choked out.

"Apology accepted," He gave her a cocky grin. "I will give you more details later, Elena. Until then, I want you to return to your room. I have business to attend to outside. You won't be seeing me for a few days."

Elena thought that it wasn't fair that he was going to leave her hanging for days, but she didn't breathe out a word.

"Until then, Elena," Kol smirked, placing a kiss on her hand before adding, "I highly doubt I need to remind you not to breathe a word of this to anybody."

Elena nodded and he was gone.

* * *

Elena slowly tiptoed to her room, shivering. It was suddenly very cold and since she was just wearing a strapless dress, she thought that her heart was going to give out. Every night in this hell was cold, there usually were no fires; even though the rooms were filled with fireplaces. Of course, humans were made to suffer here. The vampires thought of nobody but themselves. They didn't need heat therefore, they couldn't give two fucks. Elena hadn't met more conceited or obnoxious people in her life.

She held her breath and thanked the heavens that Stefan wasn't there. She took off her dress and slipped into the shower, finding the dirty white robe that Stefan had given to her during the first few weeks there. Then realization hit her, did she just say weeks? How long had she been there? The days were blurring into each other and it was hard to keep track. It wasn't like she had a calendar.

Days have pretty much blurred by, and she realized that she was getting older-ageing before her eyes. Her eyes were no longer smiling and shining when you look at them, they were just blank…lost. Dark circles had formed underneath her eyes, and she was sure that her hair was thinning. The stress that this place caused her was killing her slowly, getting rid of all traces of the happy Elena that had arrived. She'd been replaced and she didn't know if that girl was coming back. But thanks to Kol, she hoped a little further each day.

As she touched her body to wash it with frozen water, she found that she had been in so much pain that now it had become numb. All that was left were bruises. She let the tears stream down her face as she slipped in the gown, hugging it to her body, because it was the only thing that was left. She had no one. She might have had Kol, but she knew that he was helping her for his own benefit, not hers. She didn't mind as long as he got her out, but still the feeling of being lonely in this world scared her.

She also couldn't understand the sense of being in a place like this. What was the point of keeping humans slaves when they could easily snatch, eat, erase? What was the point in freeing a few humans every month or so? It seemed kind of like a game, a game for their own amusement. The thought sickened Elena but she didn't have anything else to believe it could be. There were a lot of things that didn't make sense, and she knew that she couldn't ask. Asking will only got her beatings and more work. Oh, how much she missed Damon, his touch and his warmth. She realized that she had missed him more than she had ever missed Jenna or Jeremy. Jenna and Jeremy! She thought all of a sudden, wondering what they could've been doing right now. Were they still searching for her, or did they give up? She wouldn't have blamed them if they did. People need to carry on.

Tears prick the corner of her eyes but managed to stay calm. She had learnt by now that crying only got her eyes red and puffy. She opened the door and nearly jumped out of her skin when she found Stefan on the bed.

"Where have you been?" He asked her, but she quickly noticed that his voice was different. He seemed tired, as if he was carrying the pain of a hundred years on his back.

"I got into an accident," Elena mumbled.

He nodded his head and motioned for her to come closer. Her legs started to shake, but she did.

He pulled her onto his lap. "Katherine," He said, "My Katherine."

Elena widened her eyes, shocked, and it was then that she smelled the alcohol on him. He rubbed his cheek against hers. "You are so beautiful, my Katherine…"

Her instinct was to tell him that she was not his ex-girlfriend, but she stopped herself quickly. It was better if she let him hold her and pretend that he was Damon. He stroked her hair and placed kisses on her neck, and Elena bit her lip to keep from crying. She did not want this man to touch her.

"Why so tense, my love?" He asked her, kissing her lips sweetly.

"Stefan, I think you should let go of me," Elena said slowly. "That way, we can…sleep," She said, trying to keep her face and voice natural.

"Okay," Stefan nodded, stumbling his way to the other side of the bed. He took off his shirt and pants and grabbed her, a bit roughly. He buried himself in her neck and wrapped one arm around her. "I love you, you do know that, don't you?"

Hearing his soft words, Elena couldn't help but feel her heart break a little. Because Stefan was like Damon in some ways. They were both broken and back stabbed. She could not feel sorry for the man who had raped and hit her more than once; but she did feel sorry that Stefan's life had become this.

* * *

"Jenna, I told you. It had taken us weeks to get this signal. I'm positive it's accurate," Liz told Jenna. "It leads to the Salvatore mansion, a few hours away from Mystic Falls. I've sent some of my deputies. I'm sure we will be able to take him down."

"And I'm telling you, Liz, no one lives there. At least not any more " Jenna said. "I drive to the University everyday, and I see the house. It looks abandoned."

"Look, Jenna. My deputies will search the place, and I want you to have faith. She's there, I can feel it. You just have to have faith."

"Okay," She said, "Thank you, Liz. I owe you."

"I'm just doing my job, Jenna."

* * *

In the morning, Elena woke up to find that Stefan was gone. She dutifully made the bed and was lucky enough to find a packet of biscuits for breakfast. They were disgusting and dry, but she didn't care. It was food-it kept her alive if only just barely.

It was then that she heard a little noise from underneath the bed, and Elena jumped in fright, expecting the worse. Her fears however went away when she saw something tiny under the bed. Curiously, Elena took a cautious step forward, and was shocked when she found out that it was Elle, the three year old girl Tara had told her about.

"Elle?" She spoke gently.

The little girl glanced up at her in surprise, and gave her a frightened look. "Pwease make the monsters go away."

"It's okay, Elle, I'm not a monster," Elena said gently, holding her hands for the little girl to take. "I'm not going to hurt you. What are you doing here?"

"I-I fowowed you," The girl said guiltily. "Because you verwy pwetty."

She followed her because she thought she was pretty? Elena smiled a genuine smile and reached out for the girl. "But what are you scared of? Are you hurt?"

"No. But...Victowia w-was m-mad and she looked scarwy," The girl buried her face in Elena's neck.

"Oh, sweetie," Elena said, giving the girl a tight squeeze. "But you can't be here. Stefan will be mad at you."

"I hate Stefan," The girl shocked her. "He verwy scarwy. Last time he p-pushed me, but then Victowia yelled at him and he left."

Elena cringed at the thought of this young girl being harmed by Stefan.

"Where is Victoria now, Elle?"

"I don't know," The girl sucked her thumb. "I wuv Victowia, but she scared me."

Elena sighed, seeing the true innocence of this little girl who had her life screwed up in such a young age.

"Well, Elle, let's go and find her then," She took her hand and lead her out of the room.

"No, pwease don't take me back." The adorable child begged. Elena wanted to give into her, so badly. She wanted to confort her and make all her scary thoughts go away but she knew they'd both be punished brutally if either of them got caught with each other away from their assigned destinations. Especially Ellie, they didn't seem to care that she was barely a kid.

"You have to, Ellie," Elena spoke gently. "You'll be alright."

At that moment, Elena heard a woman calling Ellie's name. "There you are!" The woman exclaimed, "Oh my God, don't you ever do that to me again, do you understand me?" She said, shaking the little girl by her arms. Ellie took a step back. "Ellie, what's wrong with you?"

The girl hid behind Elena, and the woman raised her face to meet Elena's eyes.

"You must be Elena Gilbert." The woman stated, half disgusted but half intrigued.

"And you must be Victoria." Elena answered back just as sarcastic.

"What is Ellie doing with you? Does Stefan know?" She said, her face frowned in disgust.

"I found her in my room this morning," Elena explained.

"I didn't hurt Ellie," Victoria said, as if she was answering an unasked question. "Things just got a little out of control. She's becoming quite a little brat. Come to my room, and we can talk."

"I don't think…"

"It's still early in the morning, Elena. You can afford some time off." She smiled, and this time her smile was gentle.

Elena nodded and followed the woman.

"Have a seat," She said, "Help yourself to some food." Elena sat with Ellie on her lap.

"I never thought I'd be seeing the doppelgänger," She muttered. "At least not here."

"You knew Katherine?" Elena asked curiously.

"Damn right I did. Katherine's the one who turned me."

"Oh." Elena's face darkens. "Then you must know about Damon and Stefan."

"Yes," She sighed. "Katherine was the rope in the brothers' tug of war. Until she died, that is."

Elena bit her lip, wanting to change the subject. "Why do you raise Ellie?"

"Her mother was a friend of mine," Victoria said without emotion. "I used to work as a CEO, and she was an employee, but also my best friend."

"She was human?" Elena found herself asking the obvious.

"Yes, Elena, she was. She was expecting a child," She glanced at Ellie. "Then a vampire got to her. He turned her."

Elena bit back a gasp.

"I tried to help her as much as I could. Poor soul, she couldn't understand what was happening to her. Her husband died at war, and when she was turning, I was positive that she was going to lose the baby despite the fact that she was eight months pregnant. But she didn't luckily." Victoria smiled curtly at little Ellie and focused back on her story.

"I helped her and tried to control her blood-lust but eventually she lost control and almost killed her newborn baby. She made me promise to take care of her daughter and name her Ellie. Then she walked out in the sun and died, in front of my eyes. There was nothing I could've possible done, I didn't have the time to think."

"Oh my God…" Elena's hands flew to her mouth. She pitied Ellie.

"I kept my promise and started to raise Ellie as mine."

"But why did you come here?" The human couldn't understand it. Why was she even telling her the story? It wasn't if she knew Victoria.

Victoria frowned. "Klaus. It's a long story which I don't like to share, Elena."

"I'm sorry." She muttered.

"Don't be. I just want you to be careful, Elena. Don't trust anyone here. Just remember that in the end, every one of you just wants to save yourself. I can't say more than that."

* * *

Elena spent the rest of the day working in the kitchen and cleaning, like always. It was always the same, boring and dreadful routine, one that she hated with all her heart. She couldn't help but notice that sometimes, they were less people. And she knew why. Usually they disappear after they take them to the mysterious locked room on the left of the main hall.

"What happens in there?" Elena had asked Tara earlier in the morning. "I saw them taking Kelly in there, and I haven't seen her since."

"I don't know," Tara had shrugged, "All I know is that whenever they take them there, we'll never see them again."

And now, Elena was in the main hall, waxing the floors next to the same room she was so curious about. The door was inviting her to go and check it out, but she carried on working, knowing that it would not end well for her.

But then she seemed to think about a few things. What if the room lead to an escape? There had to be an entrance right?

She slowly dropped the mop and stood in front of the door, trying to open it. It was obviously locked, but then she remembered her long, lost powers-She used to move objects with her mind. God…It was way too long ago. She had abandoned everything when she met Damon. But what if, her fear and determination could help her get out of here? She knew that Kol was trying to help her get Damon back, but she didn't trust him. If she got out, she could find answers, she was sure of that.

But how was she going to make this work? She had forgotten she had powers, yet alone how to use them.

She concentrated fully on the knock, trying to put her heart, soul and determination in the task. There was nothing.

"Come on, please," Elena thought, trying to remember the times she had pushed doors open with her mind.

Still, the door remained closed.

"God!" Elena cried out in frustration, rage taking over her, and the lights seem to black out for a few moments and when Elena looked, the door was burst open.

She gasped, unable to believe it but wasted no time in hurrying into the room.

The moment she stepped in, she felt cold, as if there was something bad there. There was a narrow black corridor, and for a while Elena regretted the decision.

She searched the place hoping that her eyes will adjust to the darkness.

She wasn't so lucky.

She had barely moved three more steps when she felt herself hit a stone-hard body. She let out a scream as the hands pinned her in place.

"And what do you think you're doing here?"

Elena gasped in horror at the familiar British accent and desperately tried to run away. This time, her body crashed into someone else.

"Elena, Elena, tsk,"

Stefan.

He pressed her back against his chest and pushed her hands behind her back, making her scream at the harsh pull.

She heard Klaus's footsteps and as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Klaus holding a candle, dangerously close to her face.

"Ah. My lovely doppelgänger," He smirked. "What is she doing here, Stefan?"

"I have no idea," Stefan bit out, jerking Elena's pinned hands.

"Ah, you're always causing trouble," Klaus moved closer to Elena and cupped her face. "You don't seem to understand that we can kill you in a mere second."

"You won't," Elena challenged. "I'm the doppelgänger. I know you need me, you filthy, disgusting leech."

That only earned her a slap across the face, but Elena never felt any more satisfied.

"You watch your mouth, princess," Klaus said next to her ear. "I might need you, but there are a lot of things I can do to torture you. Much more fun than killing you, I might add," He smirked, holding his finger out and caressing her collarbone, inching slowly down. Elena fought against Stefan's grip to defend herself from Klaus's touch, but she wasn't so lucky.

He continued to make patterns from her collarbone to her chest until his fingers danced on her stomach. "Hmm. I wonder if you have the fire like Katherine had."

"Please, stop," Elena begged as he played with the hem of her dress.

He chuckled. "So scared. Just like Katherine was. You Petrovas only act tough, but in reality, you're nothing. I'm not finished with you yet, though. Take her to the room, Stefan. I will join you in a few seconds, because I need to ask Miss Gilbert here a few questions, and she better answer them truthfully or I won't have any problems finishing what I started." He stroked her hip suggestively and smirked.

Elena didn't even try to fight as Stefan applied pressure on her neck. She fell limply in his arms, knowing very well that the worst was yet to come.

* * *

**Tiny tiny spoilers ;)**

**1. The characters of Victoria and Elle are very important. **

**2. There is a specific reason why humans are kept in the house.**

**3. There is a reason why Kol wants to help Elena.**

**Please leave a review :)**


	25. Chapter 25

Huge thanks to Cdaye8184 for beta-ing :D Thanks so much dear! xxxx

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, happy holidays and New Year to you all!

* * *

Her head was pounding.

No, scratch that-Everywhere was pounding. Every inch of her body hurt-her head, her arms, her legs, her face…She licked her lips to find that they tasted like blood. Elena focused on the old wardrobe as her vision cleared, and she realized that she was back in her room. Well, not her room, the room that she had to share with Stefan. The room that she was raped and hit in. The room with all the horrible memories. There was nothing spirit lifting about this room, it was torture residing in it.

The voices seemed distant, but then she seemed to remember. Of course. She was trying to escape, and then…

Then they caught her.

Stefan and Klaus.

The brunette panicked-remembering the way Stefan had held her against his body as Klaus touched her. It was nothing big really, it was a small brush of his fingertips, but it disgusted her. She remembered thinking about what could have been, how far it could have gone and what he could have possibly and so easily have done to her. She winced at the bitter thoughts and tried to rid them from her mind but it was no use. She remembered the pain as Stefan applied pressure on her neck, and then it clicked. They had brought her here to punish her, to torture her. They wouldn't just forgive her. They were going to hurt her.

She opened her mouth to scream and raised her hands to move, but it was then that she realized that there was something cold on her wrist. She stared in panic and her eyes grew wide in horror.

She was chained to the wall. What the hell? Oh God, no, Elena thought, expecting the worst. What were they going to do to her? God help me, she prayed. Damon, please come back.

"Look who's awake," Stefan smirked at Klaus, and Elena saw the men coming towards her. Stefan was holding a pocket knife. Klaus nudged her with his shoe, then drank her in, undressing her with his eyes. The clothes that covered her body felt useless. She felt so exposed the way his eyes darkened as he looked at her. It disgusted her as she could only imagine what he was thinking as he looked at her.

"Hmm," He commented, a grin across his face. "Not so tough now, are we?" He reached out for her, squeezing her face between his hands. "Weak mortal."

Elena tried to stop tears from forming.

Then, Klaus looked beyond furious. "How did you open the door tonight, Elena?" His eyes were cold as he moved in front of her, his fingers brushing against her hips suggestively.

"The door was open," She cried out immediately, the lie escaping her lips so easily.

"Don't lie to me," Klaus let his fangs descend and he grabbed her face. Elena felt helpless as her pinned, chained hand lay limp, unable to fight him off. His grip on her face tightened and she felt pressure on her cheeks, his hands felt like they were crushing her jaw bones.

"I'm not lying. The door was open…" She whispered what she could with the way he was holding her face. It made it hard for her to speak.

"My naïve little mortal, you better tell the truth now or you're going to be sorry. You have powers, don't you?" he continued to tighten his grip until Elena felt like she was suffocating.

Elena resigned herself. "Yes."

"What can you do?" Klaus demanded.

"Telekinesis…and telepathy," She whispered, looking away instantly. She hated that she needed to reveal her 'secret weapon'. She didn't know exactly how it was a secret weapon because she didn't know how she could use it against people like him but there could have been a way-in the future. That could never be the case now though.

"So what, you can move objects with your minds and communicate with your mind? Do you practice?" He asked question after question. His voice was cold but he equally seemed intrigued. Of course he was interested in what she could do... all the better reason to take her for his use. She shivered, trying to erase the scary thoughts of Klaus taking her away to be of his personal use.

No. Ever since I was kidnapped, the powers weren't working. Until now. I opened the door with my mind." She replied, feeling defeated. She didn't want to tell them but she didn't really have a choice.

"Interesting," Klaus commented softly, reaching towards the girl, his lips close to her ear. "So you really are special, Elena."

"I will be stronger than you, Klaus," Elena said bravely, "I just need time. Trust me."

"Says the girl who is chained to the wall," Klaus let out an evil laugh. "Do you understand how pathetic you look?" He sighed. "But anyway. You tried to leave this place without permission-escape. There are surely consequences, my dear girl." He continued to trace her facial features, his hands on her chest now, taunting her.

Elena closed her eyes.

"Stefan, please?" Klaus asked sweetly in his British accent, pulling away.

Without warning, Stefan rolled up her dress to reveal her torso. She felt a knife cut into her skin and she realized that she was being marked-marked as Stefan's.

"This mark will stay with you forever," Stefan smirked cruelly. "A gentle reminder that you're mine."

"I'll never be yours!" She hissed between sobs and cries of agony.

"The world will think differently with a mark like that." He pointed to the gash with the weapon he used to make it. He felt pretty proud of himself in that moment, he was right full of glee.

Blood pooled at her belly and Elena cried out, wiping away tears.

As if the carvings on her body were not enough, Elena had to go through hours of pure torture-being repeatedly hit, and memories of Damon flashing through her mind. By the time they were finished with her, Elena's body was black and blue. Everywhere was marked.

"Please, stop," She finally begged when she couldn't take it anymore.

Klaus once again walked towards her, his fingers playing with the hem of her dress. "If you try to escape again, it will be much worse next time. Just remember that Stefan won't hesitate to claim you again."

"Stop it!" Another voice called, and weakly, Elena recognized the voice as Victoria's, and then Kol's.

"You have hurt her enough, brother," Kol said, his eyes narrowed. Klaus shrugged and looked at Elena like she was a piece of disgusting meat.

"Let's go, Stefan. I think princess here has learnt her lesson." Klaus eyes his brother carefully before glancing at Elena once last time. He shot her a devilish grin before spinning on his heels and leaving. His other slave-Stefan, following closely behind.

When Kol and Victoria leaned against Elena they found the girl cold as ice. Her hands were still chained, but her head was hanging freely as If she was a helpless, one week old child.

"Kol, I think something's wrong," Victoria panicked, "She's not breathing properly…"

Kol immediately supported Elena's head so that she could examine Elena. "Elena, can you hear me?"

But he didn't get a response...

"Klaus, why are you interested in Elena's powers?" Stefan asked curiously. "I mean, she's just a bloodbag for you, right? She'll just make your hybrids…" Stefan tried to understand what was so special about that measly human. Sure she was a looker and she tasted good but was everything they were doing really necessary? Was she that much of use to Klaus. Surely they could just kill her like all the others and be on their merry way. Klaus was keeping something from him.

"Stefan," Klaus smirked, "Doppelgangers are species as well…and some of them are chosen. Why do you think I need Elena? Just for hybrids? You are truly mistaken, Stefan. Elena can offer much more than that, and I knew it since the beginning."

"But what…"

"Shh, Stefan. I believe that you should stop asking questions." Klaus would never tell Stefan what he was really keeping Elena held hostage for. And it bothered him immensely but he dropped the topic, knowing his master wouldn't give in.

Klaus walked to a locked room. "Damon's body is in the casket, locked by the witches. I hate what your brother became, Stefan. Would you be ready to train him, to encourage him to join us? You know that your brother broken all the rules. All I ever wanted was for you to sell humans and get the blood-the payment. No complications."

"My brother screwed up." Stefan shook his head as if he were ashamed. "He's nothing to me anymore, Klaus."

"You both did. You are weak, both of you." Klaus spat. "You're no better than Damon. I'm just offering you a second chance because I felt kind and generous at the time."

He sighed, before walking next to the casket and opening it.

His face turned white.

"The body. The body's not here!"

* * *

"What's going on?" Victoria asked in horror as Elena laid frozen.

"She got severe head injuries," Kol said in a few minutes. "She…Victoria, Elena's in a coma."

Quiet footsteps were suddenly heard. "Is it safe for her to see me now?" A familiar voice asked gently.

Damon.

Victoria raised and turned to Damon, who was now still, his face panicked. "Damon, I'm so sorry…" She tried to tell him.

"What's going on?" Emotion clogged his throat as he spoke. "Why is Elena...?"

"She…We weren't quick enough. She tried to escape, and they beat her . She has severe head traumas, Damon, she's in a coma…" Victoria tried to say as much as she could. It was just enough for him to understand what had happened but he'd get filled in on the details later. His non-beating heart had metaphorically stopped at the sight of his lover.

He didn't really understand where he'd been but he knew he needed to see his Elena. And now he was helpless. "We have to do something, please…"

He let silent tears stream down his face as he realized that the harsh reality had forbidden them to be with each other yet again.

* * *

Please Review!  
**Details about how Damon woke up will be revealed next chapter, don't worry. **


	26. Chapter 26

A/N I hope you all had a wonderful new year ;) For those who it's still the start of the day…Happy New Year! ;) We survived 2012 like bosses, and when I'll have children I'll make them watch that crappy movie and tell them that I fought against the earthquakes and survived :P

Anyway enough babbling. Enjoy the update and please review!

Check out my oneshot "Memory Lane", and the story I'm co-writing with Cdaye8184, "What Lies Beneath". For those waiting for an update for My last chance in saving my humanity it should be updated soon.

Thanks Courtney for beta-ing and for being my number one supporter :') I love you! Xxxx

**This chapter starts a few hours earlier, and it's going to show you how Damon woke up.**

* * *

**A couple of hours earlier…**

"I need your help, Victoria," Kol demanded when the young woman opened the door.

"What's wrong?" Victoria asked, concerned.

"I'll explain everything to you. It's regarding Elena," He said dismissively.

"Give me a minute," Victoria said, "I'll call someone to keep an eye on Elle for a minute."

* * *

"So that is why you're helping Elena…" Victoria said, biting her perfect lip. Kol had just finished talking, and Victoria seemed lost and concerned.

"Yes," Kol confirmed. "This can't go on, and the moment Klaus figures out what Elena is he'll kill her. I'm surprised he hasn't found out yet." His voice was merely a whisper, you always had to be cautious with regards to what you said.

"But Klaus needs Elena to make his hybrids, right?" Victoria asked, not really understanding where this was going.

"That's what the girl thinks. But I know better than that-Klaus needs her for much more than that, I'm sure

"And what about Damon?" Victoria asked yet again another question.

"Damon and Elena are meant to be. Without Damon, Elena can't perform her task." Kol shrugged his shoulders. There was no other way to put it.

Victoria looked at Kol, and hesitantly reached for his hand. "Do you think that…that this might finally be over? That this place might be peaceful again?"

"I hope so," He said. "I'm not a good man, Victoria. I killed humans. Hell, I even owned slaves here but that's not me anymore. This nonsense has to stop. Klaus is risking all our lives and there's not much longer we're going to be able to stand around and not do anything about it before it comes back and bites our asses. And as much as I hate to say it, I also care about the too many innocent human lives he's risking. Tell me, Victoria, do you think this is a nice place for Elle to grow up in? Do you even think about what she must go through when she grows up?"

"I try not to," Victoria said, flinching. The poor little girl. Whenever Victoria would try to picture how Elle's life would turn up... she came up blank. That was cause she knew that this place was nowhere for a child. She had no future here.

"Then we have to end this tonight. I know how to get them out, I just need your assistance. My witch is waiting to bring Damon back, and then we can grab Elena and leave."

"What about Elle? I can't bear to leave her here, now that the gate is going to be opened…" She protested, fearing how safe she would be.

"No," Kol said firmly. "Not yet. We'll start with Damon and Elena. Don't worry, everyone will be free once they know what they have to do."

"What about Elena? Should I tell her the truth about Elle?"

Kol sighed. "She should know. But not yet. Elena's gifts are based on her feelings. If Elena makes this matter personal, it will have terrible effects for her. It can unleash darkness inside Elena that no one can handle. Elena needs a teacher, a guide, and I'm going to be the one who does that job."

"Whatever you think is right, Kol," Victoria nodded her head, and he smiled at her.

"You've done an awesome job, you know, keeping Elle safe all these years."

"I've grown to love her like she was my own daughter," Victoria said. "I didn't know that Elle would end up like the rest of the humans here, otherwise I wouldn't have chosen this place to keep her safe."

"You didn't know," Kol sighed. "Klaus deceived us all."

They walked in silence until they reached a corridor. A young, olive-skinned woman was waiting for them next to the banister.

"What do you want me to do?" The young woman asked.

"I need your assistance," Kol explained calmly. "I need you to open a casket. It is sealed in magical writing."

She nodded her head. "I can do that." Her voice was confident and she turned on her heels, ready to head towards wherever she needed to perform but the vampire's next words stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Also, I need you to help me to set a human girl free tonight."

"Kol, you know I can't do that. This place is sealed with magic, and humans are unable to leave unless they are set free by Klaus every month, on a full moon."

She cleared her throat. "The light of the full moon helps me to unseal this place. Without the full moon, I can't help you. The witch that casted the spell, my ancestor, made sure that the full moon's light will seal and unseal the place. You know that, Kol."

"But I also know that you share the same bloodline, the same one as the powerful Greta," Kol said firmly. "There has to be something you can do about it, to lift it up for a few seconds." He knew she had the potential. Hell, all witches could do it if they put their mind to it. If a witch said she couldn't perform a spell... it was pure bullshit.

"Even if I do lift it, they still need Klaus's mark. I can't help you, Kol, I'm sorry."

"What happens if Klaus doesn't put his mark on them?"

"Once they are out, they'll die," She stated. "I will try to find a loophole. But I can't promise anything, however I can unlock the casket." At least she could do what he needed most of out her.

"Very well then," Kol said, "Let's go."

* * *

"Omnidus, adistm!" The young witch called out, and there was a sudden silence until a gasp of air was taken. Kol and Victoria immediately helped Damon get up, and they could see that the latter was ashen.

Victoria immediately handed him a blood bag, which he drank in a big gulp.

"Elena," He said, "I remember Elena. I need to get Elena out of here."

"Wait," Kol placed a hand on Damon's chest to stop him. "This isn't how it's going to work. Your senses might be a little lacking right now, and we can't put Elena's life in danger. We have to work together."

"I remember you," Damon said, his eyebrows furrowed. "Aren't you Klaus's brother? I know each one of you. I had multiple out of body experiences…I heard Elena scream my name, screaming for me to help her…"

"And you're going to help her, Damon," Victoria said firmly. "If you listen to us. There's so much you've been left out on... so much about Elena and everything else that we need to tell you. But you have to believe us and trust whatever we say to be true."

"Very well then."

* * *

"Her room's this way," Kol whispered, and glanced at his watch. "She must have finished her last chore by now, so she's most probably returning to her room."

"What about Stefan?" Damon said through gritted teeth. He knew what his brother did to his 'slaves' nowadays... He couldn't bear the thought that he had done some of that to his Elena.

"Stefan's usually with Klaus at this time," Kol replied, but then his and Victoria's faces met.

"What's wrong?" Damon asked, sensing their sudden change. "I can't hear anything, I still feel weak…"

"I think Elena's with Klaus and Stefan," Kol breathed, "And they don't seem happy."

"Listen to me, Kol. I'm going in there for Elena, no matter what plan you think you have-" Damon remembered their words from earlier but he didn't care about them. All he cared for was Elena and he needed to see her again. Right now.

"Damon, unless you want Elena to die because of some silly mistake, let me handle this," Kol snapped. "You are weak at the moment. You couldn't even hear her scream. I think it is best if you leave this up to Victoria and me, because we are losing precious time. They could be doing anything to her in there."

* * *

**Present Time**

"You have hurt her enough, brother," Kol said, his eyes narrowed. Klaus shrugged and looked at Elena like she was a piece of disgusting meat.

"Let's go, Stefan. I think princess here has learnt her lesson." Klaus eyes his brother carefully before glancing at Elena once last time. He shot her a devilish grin before spinning on his heels and leaving. His other slave-Stefan, following closely behind.

When Kol and Victoria leaned against Elena they found the girl cold as ice. Her hands were still chained, but her head was hanging freely as If she was a helpless, one week old child.

"Kol, I think something's wrong," Victoria panicked, "She's not breathing properly…"

Kol immediately supported Elena's head so that she could examine Elena. "Elena, can you hear me?"

But he didn't get a response.

"What's going on?" Victoria asked in horror as Elena laid frozen.

"She got severe head injuries," Kol said in a few minutes. "She…Victoria, Elena's in a coma."

Quiet footsteps were suddenly heard. "Is it safe for her to see me now?" A familiar voice asked gently.

Victoria raised and turned to Damon, who was now still, his face panicked. "Damon, I'm so sorry…" She tried to tell him.

"What's going on?" Emotion clogged his throat as he spoke. "Why is Elena...?"

"She…We weren't quick enough. She tried to escape, and they beat her. She has severe head traumas, Damon, she's in a coma…" Victoria tried to say as much as she could. It was just enough for him to understand what had happened but he'd get filled in on the details later. His non-beating heart had metaphorically stopped at the sight of his lover.

He didn't really understand where he'd been but he knew he needed to see his Elena. And now he was helpless. "We have to do something, please…"

He let silent tears stream down his face as he realized that the harsh reality had forbidden them to be with each other yet again. God wouldn't give them a break. Fate wouldn't give them a break. They were apart way to long and under too hard of circumstances. He wouldn't be able to deal with much more-vampire or not.

He sank on his knees, cradling Elena's head in his lap, peppering kisses all over her face. "I'm so sorry, Elena. I wasn't here for you…"

"Damon, we have to move," Victoria said as she placed an arm on Damon's shoulder, "Kol has a safe room you two can stay in, and we can help her. But we have to move before Klaus finds you both."

"He can find me for all I care," Damon said with tears in his eyes. "I don't want to live without Elena."

"But she's not dead, Damon! There is a possibility that she wakes up. You just have to believe in her." Victoria's voice was stern but full of feelings. She knew what he was going through, he just needed faith. And she knew all too well it was hard to search for faith in a hopeless place.

* * *

"No one knows this room exists," Kol explained once they put Elena on a bed. "I made sure that I built this safe room when we first invented this place. She'll be safe here."

"I can keep her heart beating," Bertha spoke softly. "Unfortunately, she'll still be in a comatose state. Magic has its limits. However, my magic can do the work doctors do in the hospital, so I can keep her body functioning without the use of the usual machinery."

"So you can't bring her back?"

"No. It's up to her, Damon," Bertha said gently. "You just have to have faith."

His eyes were swollen. He simply nodded his head, and everyone left, leaving him alone with the girl he had fallen in love with. Over the past few months when he had been possessed, his love for her had grown. He flinched remembering the times he had to watch her go through pain and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He remembered when he saw Stefan smack her, when he saw him rape her… And he couldn't do anything to help her. She had screamed for him, yet he was so weak, so vulnerable that he couldn't even comfort and soothe her.

He stroked her cheek and fell on his knees next to her bed, holding her hand tightly. "I'm so sorry, Elena," He cried, his hands stroking her hair away. "I'm so sorry." His eyes looked at her body, torn and bruised, and he found himself surging up with fury and hate, and pity. When they had found her, they found her chained, and Damon could only imagine the pain this little, fragile human girl must have felt when they smacked her to a coma.

He was going to kill his brother for this. Flesh and blood? Please, he couldn't give a fuck right about now. Not after this. Stefan deserved to die. This was not what vampirism was about and he'd be damned if he let him get away with it.

"I'll kill him, Elena," He swore, placing a kiss on her temple. "I love you. Please come back to me, angel. I need you."

She was so cold that it frightened him, and she was thin, way too thin. But he was going to make it up to her now, because he would set her free. Yes, he'd set her free, free to make her own choices. He loved her and he let to let her go.

He was nothing except pain for her, and even nature knew it because it made sure that it separated them every chance it got. This tragic fate was all nature's doing, because such bad, such darkness shouldn't have been able to come this close to purity. Elena was pure and kind, and he was a monster. This shouldn't have happened in the first place.

But it did. And now it was up to him to fix it.


	27. Chapter 27

Sorry for the long wait. I was very busy lately :S

A big thanks to Cdaye8184, who beta-ed this for me even though she's very busy as well…thanks hun :)

**New Story "Crawling Back to you." I got the idea when I was writing this chapter. If you'd like to check it out, I'll be so happy if you leave a review…Being a new story it lacks those, so please, if you read it review. I am very busy and have other stories, so I'll be updating the remaining stories next weekend hopefully. **

**Thank You very much (:**

* * *

If you would've told Damon a couple months ago that he would fall in love with a human, he would have probably said that you were delusional... or crazy. He liked both of those words. But if you had to tell him back then that the love of his life would eventually be fighting for her life and there was nothing he could do about it... then he would've done anything in his power to change fate. He hated seeing her like this-immobile and still, lifeless. He wasn't used to seeing her like this and he hated it.

Damon didn't even know the significance of the word 'time' anymore. Every minute felt like an hour for Damon. It passed by so slowly that he felt like he was going to have a mental breakdown. It could drive anybody mad-waiting... waiting for the love of your life to wake up. He'd lay next to Elena's bed, usually holding her hand and whispering quiet words to her. He'd spend hours there; just him and Elena-In their separate worlds and all that would pass by was time. But nothing changed. Her bruises were gone, her bones were healed and her cuts had diminished. She looked like a sleeping beauty and he just needed her to wake up.

She was still under the influence of magic since they didn't have the machinery a hospital would have. Her face had become bony, and sometimes he feared that she'd just evaporate. She was so weak and fragile, and he couldn't do anything except stay there and pray that she'll wake up. They didn't have any real hospital machines so they couldn't hook her up to an I.V to at least feed her some nutrients. This process was up to his blood which usually didn't work and up to magic.

At six pm, he usually washed her and then he'd kiss her cold face. He bundle her to her neck with blankets to protect her from the cold and the cruel, harsh world that lurked beside her. He whispered everything would be okay and he tried to force himself to believe the same-that it would truly, be okay.

"You should get some sleep, Damon," Victoria put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's been days now. We can't do anything. It is her choice."

"I'm fine," Damon said firmly, but anyone could see that he was very tired. He had dark circles under his eyes and he looked like shit... to be blunt. Normally vampires didn't get like this but he hadn't been feeding properly so everything about him was off.

"Kol wants a word with you anyway." She stated, biting her lip as she said it. She knew he wouldn't want to leave her side. He hardly had since she'd been 'hospitalized' if you could call it that. But Kol was only on the other side of the room and it didn't seem like Elena was going to wake up in that moment anyway.

He took a look at the unconscious brunette beauty on the bed, and with a small sigh, he went to sit on the couch next to Kol.

"I'm sorry about this," Kol said between long gulps of scotch. "You didn't deserve this. Neither of you. It's partly my fault and you can't even begin to understand just how terrible I feel about all of this."

Damon nodded his head, but spoke loudly. "Thank you Kol… but what the hell do you mean? Is this where my brother and I were sending humans when we sold them?" He hoped he was wrong... he'd forever be disgusted with himself. Of course, he didn't know but he should've looked more into where the humans were actually going.

Kol nodded his head. "I think it is time that you learn the truth." He cleared his throat as Damon prepared to hear even more bad news.

"A long time ago, my brothers and I came up with the idea of having a few humans here where we can drink without the risk of being caught. What vampire wouldn't want that? We agreed that we'll take the humans who gave us their consent. Believe me, there were many. You know how it works-you seduce them and they go weak in the knees. That was how it started out, no forced slavery and removal of their free will." He shrugged, looking at Damon with a 'knowing' look. "We absolutely loved it. An endless supply of blood whenever we desired it and we didn't dare to kill a human. We'd give them their time to recover and we'd use others until that person was able to give us some more of their blood and the process would continue without anybody getting harmed."

"Soon, this place-we called it the Forbidden Haven-was accommodating vampires. We started with the men. They would pay to feed on women and enjoy the show. I now realize just how closely related the idea is to a whorehouse but we got a profit from it so I was for a long time... blinded by the benefits."

"I don't get it, though. Who'd sacrifice daylight?" Damon couldn't understand it.

"You have no idea why some humans came here in the first place, Damon. There were the girls who were running from something or someone. Others who were simply starving. We were doing them a favor, at first! It was a good and noble deed, a one that I took pride in for saving others. This place was appealing-we paid the women and for years they could even go out. It was a great bargain for everyone-We dominated and they obeyed. You have to remember that during those days vampires were being killed easily. One thousand deaths per day. This was a safe haven for everyone, both us and them."

"What happened, then?"

"Basically? Klaus grew greedy. He wanted more and more, and we ended up kidnapping humans and bringing them here. Elijah and Finn disagreed, obviously. My brothers were never the type to do anything remotely related to that. But then things got out of control-We'd kidnap and leave tracks, and the anti-vampire authorities were watching our every move. We even got attacked by witches once, and it was then that I told my brother that this has to stop. He, obviously, didn't agree with me, and I knew better than to put up a fight so I had to negotiate with him and settle with whatever deal I could scrounge out of him. He is much stronger and angering him would've only made it worse. So we had a deal-We'd set some humans free on a full moon, the only day that the seal could be opened. You see, this place is an underground of a gigantic mansion in the older days, created by witches."

"What happened then?"

"Klaus betrayed us all," Kol said firmly. "His plan is to make a vampire army. He wants war, dominance. He wants to rid the world of humans, and we know that this can't happen. We need their blood to survive, but Klaus's obsession for power is making him unreasonable. The room Elena was in was the room where they experiment on humans-That's why they don't see them again after they go to that room. They end up dead. Klaus is trying to find a way to harvest blood-vampire and human one."

"That's why vampires pay with blood," Damon exclaimed in realization, "But I still can't understand why. He's doing this for power?"

"Yes. Dominance. Making people suffer was always Klaus's favourite hobby. He wants to end this, he believes that the world is rightfully ours, that it was taken from us."

"He uses everyone," Victoria joined in, standing next to Damon. "I used to work as a CEO, even when I was no longer human. I told Elena the story of how my friend was eight months pregnant when she was turned by a vampire. She didn't lose the baby-Ellie-and I raised her as mine when she met the sun. I befriended Klaus after a few days, and I thought that he cared for me. He deceived me and urged me to come to this place, and I, being naïve, thought that I could have a family, even as a vampire. When I came here I realized that his plan was all about harvesting blood-and children. He wanted Ellie's blood, a child's blood, to come up with some sort of twisted idea of synthetic blood where we wouldn't need to hunt anymore. That's the only thing he cares about-finding a solution for vampires."

"But that's impossible," Damon said, "We need humans. How can he even create such a thing-a combination of vampire and human blood?"

"That is why we can't let him follow his plans. He's going to kill many innocent people and there is a high risk that he'll kill us all. I want him dead, all these centuries have been enough." Victoria stated. "Too much innocent blood has been shed here in this hell and enough is enough!"

"I can't understand how Elena gets in the middle of this…" All of his thoughts drifted back to his angel-his light.

Kol looked at Victoria, who motioned for him to go on. "It's because Elena's a Guardian, Damon."

"A what?" Damon asked, shocked.

"A Guardian is the only specie that has enough strength to kill Klaus. Elena's duty is to protect-'guard' the world. She has the duty to kill the worst evil in the world, even if it means paying by her own life. She needs training and she'll be able to stop him," He continued breathlessly. "I know how this sounds to you but it is the only way, and Elena has to do it. Otherwise we'll all be in danger. Klaus is out of his mind and he will do anything to kill humans. It's all about revenge."

"Revenge? Why?"

"It's a long story," Kol said firmly, "And you don't need to know it."

"I'm not letting Elena walk into a lion's den. She won't be risking her life just because your brother decided to experiment on some humans to make blood that would never work!" Damon couldn't bear the thought of her risking her life and setting herself up for death... again. He wouldn't have it. He promised to protect her and he failed once. It wasn't happening again.

"Then everyone's going to die. Because Klaus won't stop until the very last human is dead."

* * *

Damon was sitting next to Elena, taking her hair out of her face. He hated being helpless, but there was nothing he could do. Feeding her blood was useless since it only healed physical bruises-In fact, he had already did it to heal her broken leg. But there was nothing he could do against a coma.

He researched all of the possibilities of using magic to wake her but no such luck did he find. He-they, had to wait it out. And it all led back to time.

He kissed her forehead and whispered soothing things to her, hoping that she'll hear him, that she'll respond to him. He needed her to be okay, to be alive. He needed to hold her, to apologize, to kiss her…To show her how much he had grown to love her.

Thinking about her fate he shivered. The word 'guardian' haunted him. What was going to happen to Elena? She needed to be 'trained'. What was the meaning of such word? She had been through enough emotional and physical abuse already. Hell, she had also been raped.

My poor Elena, he thought, squeezing her hand.

"I brought you blood," Victoria said, handing Damon a bloodbag. "We really need one."

"Yeah," He said, taking it from her. "Thanks."

"No problem," She sighed softly. "I hate this, you know. I really want to get Ellie out of here. But I can't, because Klaus never chose Ellie on the full moon-And he is too selfish to care about an innocent little kid. I'm thinking about bringing her here, with us. I hate seeing her suffer. When some of us transform she's horrified, and I hate seeing her in that kind of distress." The vampire had tears in her eyes talking about her 'daughter'.

"We'll find a way to set everyone free. Kol is right, Elena has to end this," He said, resigned to this fate. "And I am going to help her. All we need is time." There goes that damn word again. He laughed but there was no trace of humour in his voice.

And all he could do now was pray that Elena would wake up.

* * *

**SPOILER FOR BOOK FANS: I borrowed this idea from the books, in which Elena is, in fact, a guardian who is assigned to protect the world from vampires and other creatures. **

**Don't forget to review and check Crawling Back to You. **

**Other book notice: I highly recommend reading the vampire diaries books. They are simply amazing even though there is a complete different storyline from the show. I loved the books written by the actual LJ Smith better, since they hired a ghostwriter for books 8,9, and 10. It was not fair that they had fired her because she wanted to write a Delena endgame, but anyway. **

**Hope you enjoyed the update.**


	28. Chapter 28

Important A/N: Due to my annual exams coming next week, I might take a small break from writing since I don't really have much time. I am very sorry, and it is painful for me too because I can't stop writing, but I have so much to study. In fact, in Malta we have a Carnival (Like Halloween but a funny instead of scary theme) and due to my exams, I don't think I'm attending that and I love it, so you can pretty much imagine that I am very busy.

**I plan to update My Last Chance In Saving my humanity and hopefully the story Cdaye8184 and I are co-writing, 'What Lies Beneath', before going on my short break.**

**However, if you do want spoilers/chat/questions, 'like' my facebook page LiveBreatheVampires' fanfiction on facebook. You can also follow me on twitter but I am not signing in frequently. It is Tvdmyheart.**

**Thanks for your support,**

**Amy xxxx**

**Enjoy the chapter-betad by my great friend Cdaye8184-Thank you!**

* * *

Damon woke up next to Elena's bed. Her hand was still cold in his, and he realized it was definitely night time. Shifting slightly, he checked for any signs of consciousness, but he found none. Her face was pale and her body cold even though he had her covered in blankets.

He suddenly heard little footsteps and turned his head, only to see Victoria carrying a little girl.

"Is that Elle?" He asked her, rising so that Victoria could put the half-asleep girl next to Elena.

"Yeah," Victoria said, tugging her in. "I can't leave her behind me, Damon. If there is a chance of freedom, I'm going to give it to her. Sometimes I get scared…I see how the young slaves are treated. Girls who are as young as thirteen years old. I don't want her to go through that. She doesn't deserve that. No child deserves that. It's cruel."

Damon watched the little girl cuddled up to Elena, and smiled a soft smile. When would his own angel wake up? He'd give anything to see that pretty little mouth smiling up at him, and her eyes sparkling whenever he made her happy.

"She'll wake up, Damon," Victoria smiled. "You'll see."

He smiled back at her, and took his gaze off Elena for a moment, sipping on his scotch. Then, all of a sudden, he saw her hand move.

He immediately turned, watching her as her fingers moved, as if she really was trying to gain consciousness. He went next to her and grabbed her arm. "Come back to me, baby. I love you."

And he felt her, again, moving her fingers…

Then blinking.

Half a second later, he saw the life return in her chocolate brown eyes, those eyes that made him weak. The love he had for this girl was consuming.

"Elena?" He asked her gently, trying to keep the enthusiasm out of his voice to keep her calm. He was scared that she'll fear him…How can he prove himself that it was truly him?

Even though Elena looked at him, she furrowed her brows. He placed his hand on her cheek. "It's ok, baby. You're safe now," He said softly, "Victoria, Kol and I are taking care of you. You're safe." He hesitantly reached and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"I…" Elena stammered, "Who are you?"

At that moment, Damon felt like the air had been sucked out of him. He looked at the confused girl in his arms. "What do you mean baby? I'm Damon," He added calmly.

"I…" She said confused, "Where am I? Who am I?"

"Elena. You're Elena Gilbert," Damon took her face in his hands. "You're my girl, Elena. You have been in a coma, but you'll be okay…"

At that moment, Victoria entered the room.

"Victoria…she's awake," Damon exclaimed, "But she cannot remember me…"

"It's a short term memory loss," Victoria explained, "She'll be okay. Nothing to worry about. I'll get the witch, she can speed up her memory process."

At that moment Damon let out the breath he didn't know he had been holding. His 'heart' went up his throat for those few moments and he actually thought Elena wouldn't be able to remember herself or him. That would've killed him to say the least.

* * *

A few hours later, the young olive-skinned witch that helped them so much, Bertha, went back to the room slowly and concentrating on Elena, who was still confused, she chanted a spell to speed up the process of her memory returning.

It was a long and scary process for Elena who didn't know what the hell was going on. She was scared and confused, and she felt overwhelmed.

"It's done," Bertha said softly. "She'll wake up tomorrow, feeling better."

* * *

Damon woke up laying between Elena and little Elle-Ellie, as everyone called her- who was awake, playing with a toy on the bed. His hands were around Elena, knowing that his lover would soon wake up because he simply believed in her. He blinked several times but his heart nearly started beating again when he felt delicate fingers in his hair, gently stroking it. He turned only to see Elena smiling warmly at him, her eyes filled with tears of happiness. This was her. This was his Elena. It felt way too long since he'd seen her gorgeous smile.

"Oh my God," Damon exclaimed, trying his hardest not to shed a tear even though he had never cried in his life. But seeing her alive, seeing her breathing next to his body…He grabbed her gently and started to kiss everywhere he could reach. "Oh my God…" He kept saying, kissing her so tightly it started to hurt. Elena kissed him back with equal passion, crying in his shoulders.

"It's really you," She said, "You're not gone…Damon, I love you so much…"

"Shh, baby, don't cry, you're okay. Nothing's going to happen to you. I've got you," He stroked her face and held her in his embrace. "I'm so sorry you went through this, Elena. You know it wasn't me, right? I had no choice-He was controlling me. You know that, don't you?"

"Of course," Elena said between sobs. "I understand. I love you, Damon…"

"I love you too, baby," Damon said, touching her nose and leaving another kiss on her cheek. "I'll get you out of here, Elena. I'll help you survive this. You just have to trust me, okay? Victoria and Kol are on our side. They'll help us, and we can set everyone here free, my angel."

"I trust you," She said, "I trust you with my life and my soul."

He stroked her cheek, soothing her. "You have no idea how much I wished for this to happen. I was so scared that I lost you…" Emotion clogged his throat as he spoke.

"I know, Damon, I know…" She said, holding his hand.

"I'm sorry for everything, Elena. This is my entire fault. I shouldn't have kidnapped you in the first place."

"Damon," She said firmly. "I don't want you mentioning that word again. All that matters now is that I love you, and that you love me. It doesn't matter how we met…" She stroked his face gently. "Just hold me, and don't leave my side."

"I'll never leave your side." He told her. "Never."

"Promise me." She pled. "Promise me you'll never leave me again. I wouldn't survive it this time... I've been through too much." She closed her eyes tightly at the memories of everything that had happened. She tried to push them out of her thoughts. "I've seen too much. I've been in hell without you, Damon. And I can't-I won't go through that again."

"I promise, baby." He kissed her forehead gently as he tried to keep his tears at bay. Everything was so overwhelming. He hadn't felt emotions like this in a very long time and they were all hitting him like a train going full speed. "I only saw some of the things you went through when I was gone and I can only imagine the pain and suffering that you've gone through. I will make it up to you, Elena. When I get you out of here, I will spend the rest of my existence making sure nothing harms you ever again. I will give you the life you deserve. I'll keep you happy."

She hadn't heard a promise like that before. So sincere-so honest and heart filled. His words nearly erased all of the bad omens circulating in her thoughts. Because what he promised her made her want to conquer the world, by his side of course. She smiled at him, a true genuine smile. "I love you more than anything."

"And I love you, baby." He kissed her gently.

* * *

Every day that went by meant that Elena got her strength back. In a week, she was walking around, slowly at first, until she eventually had the strength to get on her feet on her own. In fact, she was even eating properly and playing with little Ellie.

Unfortunately, however, each day that went by meant a greater risk of being caught by Klaus or being discovered by someone. Kol wanted to hurry up and start to train Elena but Damon refused, stating that Elena was still too weak. This was until Kol entered the room once and announced the horrible news.

"Klaus murdered five fourteen year olds today," He said bitterly. "Do you know why? Because he was mad that he can't locate you. But did you know why he chose those specific girls?"

Elena shivered in horror.

"Because their names were similar to yours. He is going on a killing spree if he doesn't see you, Elena."

"You aren't actually stating that we should send her back, are you?" Damon flashed in front of Elena protectively. "Because there is no chance of that happening."

"No," Kol said, "But we have to start preparing for this." He looked at Elena. "Your guardian powers are rare, but a friend of mine is going to take the risk and come here to teach you. She is a vampire, but she used to be a guardian when she was human. She was turned tragically."

"I can't understand though," Elena said, "Why can't we get out? Why can't this spell be reversed?"

"It can be reversed on a full moon by someone who has enough power. Humans have to be 'marked' by Klaus, otherwise you cannot leave. It was an agreement written by blood. In fact, as you know, all the slaves have an engraving on their bodies, indicating that they are slaves. That is a mark by Klaus, or someone assigned by Klaus. Everyone who has that mark cannot leave until Klaus sets them free on a full moon."

"But I don't have a mark," Elena objected.

Kol's eyebrows furrowed. "That is not possible. The mark is the first thing Klaus does when he brings a human. Klaus does it…Or Stefan sometimes does it for him. It is a bitemark with a magical seal. You were bitten before, right?"

"Yeah," She said, "More than once."

"I don't understand…"

"Elle doesn't have it, either," Victoria said, holding the little girl. "I've never told anyone. I wanted to save her from the pain. She doesn't have it, either."

"So what you're saying is that maybe I don't need Klaus to be free?" Elena said in astonishment. "Do you think that I can escape?"

"This is a situation I have never been in before," Kol bit his lip. "It isn't possible. Klaus makes sure that his slaves are marked-It is the only way of knowing where each of you are and how many slaves he has to work for him. He couldn't just forget to mark you. We cannot take any risks, Elena…what if this is a test?"

"This doesn't make any sense...Why me and Elle? We are the only ones, right?"

"Yes," Kol said, turning to Victoria. "And Victoria…Klaus probably knows that Elle doesn't have the mark. You can't hide a thing like that from him, even though you've never said anything."

"But if he does know, then why didn't he ever come and mark her?" Victoria nodded her head. "It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe he did," Kol said, wide-eyed. "Maybe it just didn't work."

He turned to Elena. "I think you had memories which were taken from you, Elena…"

"What?" Elena exclaimed, "It isn't possible."

"Focus on me," Kol held one finger upwards. "You're going to remember everything you've been compelled to forget."

* * *

"_Please, don't hurt me," Elena begged as Stefan held her in his arms and threw her roughly on the hard floor. She closed her eyes in terror when she realized that Klaus was there._

"_Take off your clothes," Stefan demanded, and Elena curled into a ball, shaking her head no. Klaus moved forward and roughly pulled her up, tearing her dress in half. She shivered as she stood there in her lingerie in front of two monsters, until Stefan grabbed her and put her on what seemed like a stretcher, strapping her in so tightly that it cut off her blood flow._

"_Please…" Elena begged, fearing the worst, and Stefan took a few steps back, allowing Klaus to stand in front of Elena. He bent down and disgustingly placed a kiss on her lips. "Shh, it's just going to hurt for a moment." _

"_Get away from me," She yelled, "Don't touch me."_

"_You see…I haven't marked you yet," Klaus smirked at her, "It is usually the first thing I do when little bitches like you come here. But since you are special, I thought I'd give you some chance to settle down first…And I can make this more enjoyable. For me, of course." He placed his lips on her neck, inching down, biting and sucking on the skin as a witch looked at them without remorse, chanting a spell. Klaus picked a spot on her thighs and started to bite, and Elena screamed in pain, unable to move._

"_Where's the mark?" He growled at the witch after a few painful minutes._

"_It didn't work," The witch gasped, "Her body is rejecting it."_

"_Well, make her accept it you filthy thing!" Klaus roared, "I can't have a slave walking around with no mark!"_

_After several tries, he gave up. _

"_Dress her," He ordered Stefan, "And make her forget that this happened. I can't have her trying to escape because she knows her privilege."_

* * *

"Oh my God," Elena said, "I can remember everything now. He tried to mark me, but it didn't work."

"He probably did the same thing to Elle," Damon said, "But I cannot understand, Elena. I know that you have certain abilities, but what does Elle have in common with you? She's just a little girl."

"Actually, she is more than that," Victoria said after a few breaths. She turned to Kol. "Kol, she deserves to know."

"Know what?" Elena demanded.

"Elena…Ellie is your sister."


	29. Chapter 29

Thanks to my awesome beta, Cdaye8184 :)

My Last Chance in Saving my Humanity has also been updated, and so has What Lies Beneath (On Cdaye8184's profile-our colab story) and Crawling Back to You will be updated soon, it is currently being beta-d.

I hope you like this!

* * *

Elena stood frozen, her mouth opened as she turned her gaze from Victoria to the little girl. The girl was blonde and she did not look like her at all.

"This is a mistake…" Elena said, "I don't have a sister. She's three years old, I would recall my mom being pregnant."

Victoria paused, looking at Elena with compassion in her eyes. "Her mom, Isobel…"

"See? My mom's name was Miranda," Elena said, "She died in a car accident, along with my father. I lived with my Aunt Jenna and my brother Jeremy," She said robotically. That was the truth, right?

"No, Elena," Victoria nodded her head. "You were adopted."

With those words Elena felt that the world had fallen and landed on her head. She couldn't understand what was going on. She raised a hand to her mouth to muffle her gasp. She did not need this. Not now. Not in this place.

But Victoria continued anyway. "Isobel, your mother got pregnant when she was a teenager. She gave you up because she couldn't take care of you," She explained lightly. "She never told me who your biological father was, nobody could get it out of her. But then when she grew up, she married and was eight months pregnant when a mysterious vampire got to her and turned her. Her husband had just died at war. Luckily, her baby-Ellie-survived. We were best friends, Elena. I knew your mother. She showed me pictures of you. Your adoptive family sent pictures of you to her every year showing how beautiful you grown. She was heartbroken when she had to give you up, she always told me that. But she didn't have the courage to get you back after all those years apart, so even though she married and had a better life she couldn't come and get you. She was too scared to face you."

"Oh my God," Elena said, tears streaming down her face at this new information. Her life had been a one, big lie. Her parents were not her parents. And Jeremy, the boy she loved as a brother was a stranger. But she loved him, and nothing would change that. They were still brother and sister in writing. But her parents... they never told her. It wasn't their place to keep it a secret!

"She died three years ago," Victoria continued. "She couldn't handle being a vampire. She nearly killed Ellie, and I tried to help her but she just walked out in the sun and died in front of my eyes. I've been taking care of Ellie ever since, as you know."

"So Ellie is my half-sister then?" Elena said, wiping away her tears, "Ellie's father is not my father?"

"No. Your biological father was her first boyfriend. Ellie's father is the man she married a few years ago."

"Oh my God," Elena exclaimed, covering her face in her hands. "This is all so messed up…"

"I think that your guardian powers come with your mother's bloodline," Victoria continued, "But then on the same time, Ellie is not a guardian. But she does possess some special gifts, one of them being the ability to see the future."

"What?" Elena demanded.

"Yes," Victoria nodded her head, "Ellie can see the future. She draws what she sees and she normally gives them to me," She gestured at the drawings that lay on the little wooden table in the corner. "At first I thought they were just drawings, but then I started to realize that what she drew became real."

"But I don't understand…" Elena bit her lip, "If I am a guardian because of my mom's bloodline, then why isn't Ellie a guardian too? And she still rejects the mark like me."

"I don't know, Elena," Victoria said, "But it has to do something with your descendants, your bloodline…"

"We have to leave," Elena said, holding her head in her hands. "We can't just stay here. We have to try and escape…"

"Elena, calm down," Damon, who hadn't said anything in a while, spoke calmly and put a gentle hand on Elena's shoulder. We can't just try and escape. It is true that you don't have the mark, but it won't be easy to get out anyway. We have to think this through, otherwise you can get hurt. You and Ellie. Besides, the seal is only opened on a full moon…"

"I don't give a damn about seals!" Elena said in anger, "My sister cannot grow up here! And neither can I. I am a human being, not a guardian or a damn slave. I cannot do anything against Klaus, Kol," She turned to Kol angrily. "I want to get the hell out of here. That is what I want to work for, getting out of here. There has to be a way. The vampires can get out…"

"The vampires can come and go as they please," Kol explained. "The seal keeps out humans. We can't get you out until Klaus is dead," Kol said firmly. "There is no way you can escape, Elena. There are guards everywhere, and the magic won't lift the seal before a full moon. If you want to get out, you'll have to cooperate with us and kill Klaus."

"What am I supposed to do?" She asked calmly, turning to Victoria. "I can't just be 'trained', as you are calling it. I can't even use telepathy and telekinesis in this place anymore without putting a lot of effort, yet alone take down a dangerous vampire."

"It takes determination and courage," Victoria said, "But you will do it. You can do it."

* * *

Later on that day, Elena and Damon were alone in the 'safe room'. Kol was out to bring some food, and Victoria was out to keep appearances to avoid suspicion falling on her and Ellie.

"I don't want you giving up," Damon said as they lay on the bed together, "You have no idea how strong you are, Elena." He was holding her against his chest, stroking her arm gently.

"Yeah…but this is different," Elena sighed, "These are powers. How am I supposed to learn to control them and take Klaus down? What if I hurt someone in the process?"

"You won't," Damon said, "I'll be helping you and be with you in whatever you do, okay?"

She sighed. "I'm scared."

"I know, baby. I don't blame you," He kissed her cheek softly. "But you have to believe in yourself. You can take him down, and you can free everyone from this place, Elena. You. Only you," He continued to whisper in her ear, filling her with courage and determination. "You can free children like Ellie, and you and I…we can start a life together, if you want. We'll get out of here together."

"I hope so," Elena said, snuggling closer to him. "I just can't believe that there are people who are so cruel to leave others in this place."

"They are not people, Elena," Damon said, "They are vampires. They don't care. Most of them are free to go out whenever they like, unless they are tricked or being held here against their will like Victoria and I. But other than that, they are free. They only care that they have a meal daily and someone to play with. They feel in control."

"That's screwed up," Elena said. "When Stefan r-r…" She couldn't get the word out, and she took a deep breath. "Abused me, I had screamed and begged him to stop. I cried and kicked and screamed but it didn't even irk him. Where is the fun in that? In hurting and taking away a woman's rights like that?" A tear escaped her eye now, and Damon wiped it with his thumb.

"I know, Elena. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I really am. Before we get out of here, I'll make him pay for what he did to you."

"It's not your fault, Damon. You can't risk getting revenge for me."

"Yes, Elena. It is and I will. If I didn't kidnap you, if I wasn't selfish, right now you would be curled up on the couch with a warm blanket and good food in front of the television next to your aunt or your brother."

Elena took his face in her hands. "No, Damon. You don't know what could've happened. This is my fate. If I am assigned to save the world, then it would've happened regardless." She kissed him softly. "I love you, Damon. I don't regret what happened."

"I love you too, Elena," Damon stroked her face and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Things changed so much between us, Damon," Elena said, "They truly did. I remember I was so scared of you…"

"I didn't exactly make it easy on you, 'Lena."

"I know," Elena smiled, "But I always knew that you have a good heart underneath."

"Tell me something, Elena," Damon held her face gently in his arms. "Have you completely forgiven me for the bad things I've done to you when I first kidnapped you?"

"Yes," She said without a second thought. "I've completely forgiven you, Damon. You changed," She reasoned, letting herself get lost in the memories, which were not all good. "Besides, you could've done worse to me when I disobeyed, but you didn't. Because you acted tough, but I always knew that you're pure-hearted."

He turned to her, listening to what she had thought of him earlier in their relationship.

"Do you remember when I tried to escape once?" She asked him slowly, her eyes locking with his. "And then Stefan caught me?"

"Yes," He nodded his head.

"You said that you'll deal with me," Elena continued, holding his gaze. "That day…my heart almost stopped. I was afraid you were going to hurt me really bad." She paused, swallowing thickly. "Then you brought me to your room, and you can imagine what I thought was going to happen."

Damon flinched. He had taken it too far that day. He remembered that he had pinned Elena down, tied her up and made her feel that she was nothing, that she was just a possession. He got lost in the memory.

_"I'm doing this because you need to learn that I've given you some freedom already. You should learn to appreciate what you have, Elena. Tell me, what are you feeling right now?" He traced lazy circles on her stomach through the thin night-shirt she was wearing. "What are you feeling when you are being controlled by someone?"_

_"Scared…"_

"_You have no choice, no say in what's happening to you…" He smirked, moving his lips to her collarbone, his arms softly trailing her curves. He felt her tensing under his touch. "Do you think you should've been a better…companion?"_

"I can't lie," Elena said interrupting him, "I was scared. When you tied me up and you started to kiss me, I thought that you were going to make me feel like I was there for your pleasure, and nothing else. But then, I saw it in your eyes. You stopped. You didn't do anything else. And I remember that you came and untied me afterwards. My point is, Damon, that these things-every good thing or bad thing that you've done to or for me, they effected the way I feel about you. And I feel good with you, Damon. I feel safe. I feel myself."

As she looked at him, she saw that his eyes were a bit watery. Emotion clogged his throat as he spoke. "I know, Elena," Damon said, hugging her tightly to his chest, "You brought me to life. That day-I did that to you because I hated myself. I hated that you were controlling me, that you were bringing up feelings in me. When you almost escaped, I was so mad. I wanted you to stay, but I didn't want to beg. And then being the bad person that I was, I figured out that tying you up and scaring you will make you submit to me, and you wouldn't control me anymore. I figured out that by controlling you, you will learn how O felt. It never works, though. In the end, good wins. And it did. I changed for you, I let you 'control' me, my emotions and my feelings. I let you bring up the humanity inside me."

"I'm glad you did, Damon," Elena said honestly.

"Me too," Damon kissed her gently. "Me too."

With time, the kiss evolved from gentle to desperate. Their lips devoured one another's and Elena would only stop for a moment when she absolutely needed to breathe.

"I want you," Elena said suddenly, need in her voice. "It's been so long, Damon. Make love to me...please."

"Elena, I don't think-" Even though he was thinking exactly that. He'd love to ravish her body right now, to show her that she was his but it didn't feel right, not right now.

But she silenced him with a rough kiss. Climbing on his lap, she wrapped her arms around him and he kissed her back with fierce passion. Fuck it he thought to himself. His hands travelled up and down her sides, his mouth possessing hers. Then, these kisses turned hungrier, rougher, and he tore off her clothes, leaving her in just her lingerie. He pinned her down on the bed, careful not to crush her with his weight, and kissed every part of her, starting from her lips, to her neck, until her body was covered with hungry kisses.

"I can't wait any longer," Elena said between long breaths.

"Me neither," Was all he said before he busied himself taking off the remaining clothing that was left between them.

"I love you, Damon." Elena looked up at him smiling. "Show me that you love me too."

"I will." He whispered as he entered her slowly, tantalizing her with each slow thrust.

"Damon please." Elena moaned. "I need more."

His prominent smirk appeared and he agreed to her words, quickly picking up the pace going harder and faster. He hovered over her, never stopping but continued to kiss her lips, her face, and her neck. She cried his name over and over in ecstasy and he was right there with her.

Both were too consumed in each other's bodies and love that for a little while, they forgot where they were. They forgot the cruel world that surrounded them, Klaus-Stefan; absolutely everything and everyone. They were together and they were happy.

And as their bodies merged into one in that moment, everything was perfect. But reality would set in soon enough.

* * *

"You were supposed to care for the girl!" Klaus screamed, hitting furiously at the table next to him. The glass shattered around at the impact.

"No," Stefan said through clenched teeth, "You told me that we should beat her up to teach her a lesson. The plan was to leave her there to let her suffer and we'd heal-"

"You do not speak to me like that, boy!" Klaus flew to Stefan, grabbing his neck and pushing him into the wall. The pictures there were fell and broke into a million pieces.

"Slave!" Klaus yelled, and a woman in her twenties walked dutifully to Klaus. Her hair was tied in a bun, and her eyes were full of dark circles. She had been rubbing the bruises on her back, and with fear in her eyes, she said, "Yes, master?"

"Clean up this mess," He barked, still holding Stefan. "Start with the glass. Don't use gloves."

"Yes, master," The girl complied, getting on her knees and picking up the pointy glass, trying not to make contact with her skin.

"It is up to you to find her now," Klaus spat, "I think this is Kol's work. I'll find him and make him pay…"

"Elena was unconscious," Stefan tried to save himself, "Neither of us thought that she'd be able to escape."

"That is why I believe Kol has something to do with this," Klaus spat, "He took Damon's body from the fucking casket, boy!"

"I'll find Elena." Stefan said uneasily.

"You better," Klaus warned. "You know why you're here, Stefan. If you still want my help in getting Katherine back, then you better hurry up and find the girl."

* * *

**The scene Damon and Elena were referring to (Damon's flashback) is in Chapter 4.**

**I thought it would be good to remind the readers that Damon and Stefan had first kidnapped Elena to use her as a bargaining chip for Katherine. Obviously, Damon is over her since he is now in love with Elena, but Stefan…not so much. He's Klaus's lapdog because of Katherine.**

**Another THANK YOU to Cdaye8184, the smut scene was mostly her work :) I know this is an M rated fic, but I don't really do smut scenes in my stories. To cover this issue, I take this opportunity to remind you that the rating is mostly for the general theme of the story, which people might find a bit dark. To be honest, I'd give this a T+ rating, but that is not available.**

**PLEASE REVIEW AND HELP ME REACH 400**


	30. Chapter 30

A/N Sorry for the long wait-My life is a mess right now. I'm moving houses, my O levels are coming soon, and my pc isn't working. Please bear with me :/ I hope you like this and please help me reach 400.

Thanks to my beta reader cdaye8184...I sent you a lot of work so thank you for helping me!

* * *

Damon laid next to Elena who was now looking at him with her puppy doe eyes. He was holding her against him, their bodies covered in sweat. Their reunion was smooth and Damon had been gentle with her all the time until she had begged him for more. Now they were both laying breathless, and he was smiling at the angel that had come to be his. She was smiling back at him, and he loved that look-He hadn't seen it in too long.

For a while they just gazed at one another, and Damon focused on Elena's heartbeat, just content in having her next to him. They were both still naked, and her body was warm in his hands.

After a while though, Damon grinned. "I think you better get dressed before someone walks in on us, angel."

"Hmm, not willing to share me with anyone," She smirked at him, and he pressed her against him, and buried his face in her neck.

"No," He mumbled against her. "You're mine. Just mine."

"I am," She nodded. "I belong to you."

"And I belong to you,"He added.

"So what shall we do after this is all over?" Elena asked with a smile.

"Hmm," He said with a grin, "I'll take you to my room and you will never leave my bed."

She rolled her eyes, but smiled. "No, I'm serious. What are we going to do after this is all over? I want to start a new life with you. We have to let go of the past."

"Well, I have plenty of ideas," Damon said. "I'll buy a new house, and you'll move in with me, and we can start a life together."

"Sounds like a plan,"She said, kissing him on the lips. "I can't wait for that. It all seems so simple, so easy."

"That's because it is." Damon leaned in kissing the tip of her nose. "Our love is easy."

"Yes, yes it is."

"I love you, princess."

* * *

It was late in the afternoon, and Damon was preparing Elena's lunch. Everyone was still out, and the couple were left alone, much to their pleasure. Elena was about to eat when she heard lots of noise coming from outside. Even though they were hidden, sometimes they could still hear what was going on.

"What's going on?" Elena asked in a panicked voice-She was always jumpy, afraid that they'll be discovered.

"I don't know," Damon said, handing Elena a glass of water, "Stay here. I'll see what I can hear."

She nodded her head, but before Damon could hear what's going on, the door opened and Kol entered.

"What's going on outside, Kol?" Damon asked curiously.

"It's your brother," Kol explained. "Apparently Klaus is out and Stefan's in charge. They brought in a new human. She's making a fuss," Kol said. "There's a brothel outside, God."

"Why? What's happening?"Elena asked in fear.

"Stefan lost his temper." Kol muttered. "Badly."

"Oh my God," Elena exclaimed, her food forgotten.

"Yeah," Kol said. "He took her out in front of everyone. I didn't see much but she seemed hurt."

Damon motioned for Kol to stop as Elena was shaking. She hated this. These people…they were young girls and boys like her, and they were being treated like criminals. Damon went next to Elena and wrapped his arms around her.

"I can't stand this, Damon," Elena cried. "Can't you hear them screaming? Can't you see how scared they are?"

"I know, Elena," Damon said, kissing her head. "I'm so sorry."

* * *

"I have news for you,"Victoria said later that day. "Bertha said that she can perform some type of spell to help with your training…You know, enhance your abilities."

Elena turned to her. "She can help?"

"Not exactly," Victoria said. "Bertha is not very powerful, and she is scared that Klaus will suspect that she's helping us. However, apparently there is a new witch."

"A witch?"

"The girl they brought in this morning," Victoria explained. "She's a witch. I auctioned for her, and I bought her. I thought that she could help."

"Where is she now?"Elena asked.

"I settled her in the room. Thankfully, no one suspects a thing about me and Kol-but Stefan has questioned me about you. And Klaus thinks that you have found a way to escape, so he has a search party."

"Do you think you can get her here?" Elena asked solemnly.

"Not yet. I don't want Stefan's suspicion to fall on me. He'll be leaving to assist Klaus tomorrow, however. We can bring her here."

"How old is she?" Elena asked.

"Your age, give or take. She was beaten by Stefan pretty bad this morning. She's so traumatized, poor thing."

"Yeah, I heard…" Elena nodded. "I know I was."

"Her name's Bonnie,"Victoria said, turning around to make a cup of coffee.

At that, Elena took a sharp intake of breath. "What?"

"The girl. Her name's Bonnie."

"D-Do you know her surname?"

"Bennett, I think. Why?"

"Oh my God," Elena gasped. "Victoria…Please… "

"What's going on, 'Lena?"Damon asked, getting worried now.

"Bonnie…She's my best friend," Elena cried, thinking about her friend whose fate was just as similar as hers. "They said that her grandma was a witch. She mentioned that she's a psychic…I never thought…Oh my God…"

"Shh, it's okay,"Victoria tried to calm her, "She's in safe hands. She's with Elle. It's okay, I'll bring her in tomorrow, but we have to maintain a low profile for now. I already lied and told Stefan that I had been working in the reception area for the past few days." She cleared her throat, seeing Elena's blank expression. "Writing down the names of people who died and those who were brought in. It's almost near the entrance, so it's a bit abandoned there."

"I just wish the seal could be opened at anytime," Elena sighed.

"I know, Elena. I'm a prisoner here, too. Klaus compels the vampires he wants here to stay in. The humans…you know the rest," She sighed.

"It'll work only on a full moon with the mark." Elena sighed. "But wait. What about the other vampires?"

"They are free to go whenever they please."

"So what if we try to escape while the door is open for them?"

"No," She said. "There's a barrier. The mark on the humans prevents them from going out. They are only free to leave on a full moon, and those chosen by Klaus, meaning that he'll erase the mark on that very full moon."

"But I don't have the mark, Victoria," She exclaimed. "And neither does Ellie. And Damon-He's probably not compelled to stay in. He was possessed, I don't think Klaus did that…And I'm sure we can get you out. We'll do a spell…"

"Elena, we can't try if we're not sure," Damon said. "What if it doesn't work and we'll get caught? This…We're safe here. We'll wait for Bonnie and we'll try to work on your abilities."

"I know," Elena said after a few moments. "You're right. It's just…I'm scared and tired, Damon."

"Bertha is coming in a few minutes. She'll be helping you to enhance your abilities, the basics for now," Victoria said gently. "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't give up, Elena. And Bonnie's safe with me."

* * *

When Bertha arrived, Elena was ready to do her utmost. Damon was supporting her throughout the entire lesson, and he even held her hand.

"Your powers come from your emotions," Bertha said. "You are a guardian, which means that your emotions are strengthened. You feel guilt, remorse, protectiveness and kindness more powerful than anyone else, so your powers can be controlled by the positive feelings."

"What about the negative?"

"Guilt and remorse block your powers, and even the fear of failing. However, if you are determined, you can do almost anything, Elena."

She sighed. "You were chosen by fate to perform a duty. Your little sister, Elle…She is in the process of becoming one. She's being tested, and her ability to see the future is just a test, so that they can see what her duty will be."

She swallowed soundly. "There are two types of guardians, Elena. There are the guardians who are made to help fight evil, and then there are the guardians who are there to stop innocent people from getting hurt. You are the first, Elena. It is up to you to rid the world from evil. On the other hand, Elle's task is to prevent a specific person from being hurt-meaning that she can see the future of certain people and she can help prevent their death. That is why you two are made to help each other. Therefore, fate has made you sisters-because there isn't anything anyone won't do for the protection and love for a sibling."

"She's just three years old…" Elena said.

"That's why you both need each other. Elle isn't the average three year old, Elena. These things…they are her destiny, and yours too." She concluded.

"What can I do to improve?"

"Have faith. Faith is what keeps you going. You are here for a reason, Elena. You can do it. You just have to have faith, and you need practice. We'll start with basic abilities, such as telekinesis and telepathy, those two gifts which you already knew of. With Bonnie's help, we can help you using magic, and it'll be easier for you to learn."

"I'm ready, Bertha,"Elena said. "I'll do anything to help everyone,"

"We need to work really quick, Elena. Klaus will put his plan in motion. He's already killing a lot of people by his experiments on them. I believe there is a way to create a special drink to keep vampires alive without using humans. As soon as Klaus finds out that there is indeed a way to get blood without human beings, the entire human population will be dead. He's taking all kinds of humans right now, and there are many vampires working for him and bringing him humans from all around the world."

Damon's brows furrowed, realizing what he and his brother had been doing. He had been helping Klaus to find this new method of surviving. He had been an idiot-All those girls he had sold…It had been for this. He had been using the girls to experiment on them, to break them, to make them work like slaves. He couldn't feel any lower right at that very moment. This is where the girls were being taken. He wanted to help in anyway now, because he knew that Klaus would end up destroying the entire human race if he finds a method to keep vampires alive without humans.

"We'll be fine," He said loudly. "Klaus will pay. He won't find the method. He'll already be dead, that I can promise."

* * *

Please help me reach 400! As you can probably guess, the story will be coming to an end. I'm calculating about five more chapters, which will be long, and then it's a wrap up. :)


	31. Chapter 31

Author's Note: Now that my summer has officially started, I plan to write like there's no tomorrow. So please, stay updated, my other chapters are being beta-d, so the stories should be updated this week. To everyone who's asked, O levels went good :)

Thank You for reviewing, please help me reach 400!

**Don't forget to check out my new story Holding On and Letting Go- A dark love story between Damon and Elena. (Rated M)**

**Thanks to Cdaye8184 for her betaing!**

Happy reading ;)

* * *

"Your telekinesis and telepathy was given to you to help you in your mission," Bertha said as she circled around Elena, who was sitting on the floor, candles surrounding her. "You were chosen when you were born, and thus it brought special gifts. However these powers are affected deeply when you are afraid. You really have to watch and guard your emotions."

Bertha cleared her throat. "Candles help to keep maintain inner peace. It is a way to show your body that you are in control, not fear. Your powers are there, and when you're determined, they work. However, you cannot let negative emotions such as grief or fear affect you."

"How?" Elena asked. "I can't control my feelings! I'll never get this down path!"

"By maintaining a high self esteem, that's exactly what you're not doing right now. Have faith in yourself, dear. You have all the positive power in the world, you have nothing to fear. Not even Klaus. The good always wins, Elena."

For some reason, Elena found that hard to believe but she somehow had to force herself to become more optimistic; for the sake of her 'powers'.

Damon was standing close to her, watching Bertha's every move as he rubbed Elena's back soothingly.

"I want you to focus on the things that make you happy," Bertha said. "Choose an emotion. Hope, love, faith…anything. You'll see that your telekinesis will increase."

Elena closed her eyes, imagining the perfect life where she is Damon's, and they live happily in the Boarding house without having to fear anything or anyone. She imagined Jenna and her brother…

"Now focus on the chair," Bertha said slowly, and the chair slowly moved.

"Since you're relaxed, you're in control. But if you let the negative feelings affect you, the telekinesis will take over and there will be nothing you can do to stop it."

Bertha sighed. "You did really well today, Elena. We'll work on your telepathy tomorrow."

* * *

Elena couldn't sleep. She kept turning to find a comfortable position, trying hard not to wake Damon up.

"What's wrong 'Lena?" He asked her softly at last.

"I'm sorry I woke you up," She sighed. "I can't sleep. Not when Bonnie's here…"

"You'll meet her tomorrow, baby," He said, placing a kiss on her cheek. "You're exhausted, Elena. Stop thinking about it and get some sleep, I promise you everything will go well tomorrow."

"I know. I'm just scared that someonewill catch Victoria…We've been hiding in here for days. What if someone sees her?"

"No one will notice a thing," Damon assured her, kissing her head. "I promise. You're safe."

"I want you to promise me another thing,"Elena said with a deep breath, and Damon encouraged her to continue.  
"Whatever happens, please, get Ellie out of here. If we have the opportunity to leave and you have to choose, please save my sister."

"Elena…"

"Please, Damon. I know you love me, and I know you'd choose me in a heartbeat but please, I want you to promise me that you'll save my sister if it comes down to one of us. Please."

"I won't have to. No one will die."

"We don't know that," Elena said pleadingly.

"Fine. I promise," Damon said, "But I won't have to." He added again in a whisper. He honoured her nobility. She didn't even know she had a sister a little while ago and she'd still sacrifice her life for Ellie. He respected that out of everything else.

He stroked her cheek lovingly, holding her protectively against his chest. "Get some rest, baby."

Elena woke up to the smell of coffee and she found a sandwich on the little table they had.

"Where's everybody?" She asked Damon who was rummaging through the storage boxes almost desperately.

"Victoria went to check up on Bonnie. Kol had some business to attend to."

"What business?"

"Guess we'll never know," Damon said quickly-way too quickly.

"Are you ok? You seem a little…out of breath," Elena said.

"No," Damon finally admitted. "I haven't had a proper drop of blood in a few days, Elena. The bloodbags are gone, and I don't really think it's a good idea to send someone to steal more blood bags…"

Elena looked at him in understanding-Sometimes she forgot that he had needs too.

"Drink from me," She said without second thought, standing next to him.

Damon's eyes snapped open. "Of course not, Elena. I'd rather starve. You should stay away at least till the cravings pass…" He said more to himself than to her. "I'm more afraid that I'll hurt you than anything else."

"You won't," Elena offered him her wrist."I'll be fine, Damon. I have been bitten before-I can handle it."

"I won't cause you pain," He said stubbornly. "I don't want you to be obligated to feed me."

"You won't and I'm not. I want to."

She moved towards him and kissed his lips softly, showing him how much she trusted him. "You won't hurt me."  
Damon sighed and grabbed the girl in front of him, placing her on his lap as she offered him her wrist. He shook his head."If we're doing this, we're doing it right," He said with his bad boy smirk."I'll make it feel good for you."

Damon started to slowly unbutton Elena's dress, placing kisses on her neck.

"Lift your arms up," He said softly, and she obeyed. In one swift movement, her dress was off and she was pinned underneath him on the bed.

"If I hurt you you have to tell me…" He whispered wearily, for once not feeling confident in his actions.

"I'm fine, Damon…" She reassured him sweetly.

He placed kisses on Elena's bare body, nibbling on her arm and thighs, not enough to draw blood out but enough to feel the pointy tips of his fangs. She gave him her consent as he put his lips on her stomach and slowly trailed them upwards towards her chest until he reached her neck.

He bit down and while Elena felt the initial pain of the breaking skin, the pain didn't last long. Instead it turned into sinful pleasure as he continued to drink from her, licking the excessive blood off to heal the wound quicker. Elena had to hold on to his shoulders to remain still.

He withdrew and smiled at her.

"How do I taste?" She asked with a smirk.

"Amazing," He said, stroking her hair."Are you okay?"

"Never better," Elena said. "You?"

"I am," Damon nodded, "Do you want my blood to heal you?"

"It's ok, Damon. I'm fine." She gently brushed her fingers over the two bite marks, smiling to herself.

"Very well," Damon smirked, "But I am not finished with you yet, you know," He smirked suggestively, his fingers dancing on the very top of her black bra.

"Then take me," Elena challenged with a smile.

* * *

The pair ended up getting out of bed close to two hours later, when Damon heard quiet footsteps. They put on clothes and Elena checked on Ellie, who was still peacefully asleep, and at that moment Victoria stepped in along with a very scared girl-Bonnie.

"Oh my God," Elena gasped the second she saw her best friend. Her heart started to race very fast as Bonnie's eyes locked with hers and she saw tears. Bonnie ran towards Elena and hugged her as hard as she could while they sobbed.

"Oh my God I thought you were dead,"Bonnie exclaimed, holding Elena's face. "I missed you so much, Elena! I thought…Oh my God…" Bonnie cried, "What is this place, Elena? What are they doing to you?"

"Shh, calm down, Bonnie…" She placed both hands on her best friends shoulders attempting to sooth her.

The two girls sat down and Elena started the story from the very beginning, telling her every single detail ever since she was kidnapped.

Bonnie glanced at Damon angrily, standing up, but Elena held her arm gently. "It's okay, Bonnie. Damon changed. He'd never do anything to hurt me, and you're safe too. I'm in love with Damon."

Damon bit his lip and didn't say anything, because he knew that he had no excuses. He shouldn't have kidnapped Elena, but he couldn't change the past. He sighed and looked lovingly at his girlfriend, who was smiling at him gently. Her smile was almost making him uncomfortable, because no one had looked at him with such kindness.  
He moved towards her and stroked her arm.

"It's true, Bonnie. I'd never do anything to hurt Elena. And you're safe too," He added.

Bonnie nodded her head slowly, still warily. "The entire town was looking for you, Elena. Jenna was going crazy and so was Jeremy. Then Sheriff Forbes decided to spill the truth."

"What truth?" Elena asked.

"She thought that vampires had something to do with this. The whole town knows about the founding council in the past…their true intentions were to kill vampires. And this is exactly what they are going to do. They're planning war."

"No," Elena said. "This isn't right. It's not fair to anyone…" She looked at Damon and then to Victoria, who had done so much for little Ellie. "Besides, how can humans take down vampires?"

"There was compulsory training twice a week for everyone, as well as the awareness of vervain and wooden stakes. The entire water supply is full of vervain, and in every house there are stakes, vervain grenades…" Bonnie explained it quietly, obviously not wanting to talk about it at all-let alone in front of Damon; a vampire.

"Oh my God…" Elena exclaimed.

"I realized I was a witch," Bonnie said."There are a lot of people like me…I am in fact a witch, not a psychic. We have been helping the founding families and the council since they are targeted the most. But we didn't know about this place even though we found vampires who were willing to help us."

"How?" Damon asked.

"They said that they were forced to kidnap humans and sell them," Bonnie said. "Apparently they broke the rules, they bonded with the humans and let them go. They were thrown in jail."

"Of course," Damon muttered, remembering a time when he was like those vampires. "We couldn't have an emotional bond…"

"You were one of them?"

"I had to. My brother screwed up when he was in his ripper mode and I knew that Klaus would kill him if we don't do what he says…Stefan could easily expose us since he didn't cover his tracks. Klaus isn't stupid, he knows about the founding families."

"Why did he want to sell humans?"

"It all makes sense," Damon mumbled,"Klaus wanted vampire blood to be able to create food for vampires without having to use humans. He wants to dominate and extinct the human race-He doesn't want to have to rely on an inferior person to survive."

"So this is all about pride," Elena said.

"Yes," He sighed. "All about pride. Klaus doesn't want to have to rely on humans when he is stronger. That's why he's trying so hard to experiment with vampire blood and human blood in hope that he'll find a good solution. If he finds that we can survive without humans…then…" Damon looked at Elena, half consciously tightening his grip on her. "I won't let that happen."

"You're willing to fight with us?" Bonnie asked.

"Of course." He kissed his girlfriend's cheek.

"Before I was kidnapped, I sent a message," Bonnie said realizing that she had to trust Damon. "A telepathic message to the witches. They can have a general idea of where we are."

"It's complicated, Bonnie," Elena said,"We can't get out unless Klaus allows us to. Every human here is marked, and on a full moon Klaus sets someone free as part of an agreement with other vampires and the witches, since there is a loophole in everything. But it has to be Klaus who gives this permission-an agreement written with blood."

"Of course," Bonnie said, "I sensed a dead witch power the moment I came in here. I'm strong, Elena. Maybe I can try to lift the seal…"

"It still won't work," Elena said, "Unless there is the agreement written by Klaus that the human is free they'll die…Bertha tried finding a loophole…"

"Who's Bertha?" The witch's eyebrow raised slightly.

"She's a witch who helped us…"

"Look, Elena. I might be from the dead witch's bloodline, since I can feel a strong connection. I might be able to go and talk to her on the other side and she can tell me how to reverse the spell of the seal and set humans free without the use of the agreement. If she is the one who did the spell, for whatsoever reason, she has to know something."

"How can you talk to her if she's dead?"

"That's easy. I can contact her, however it is up to her if she wants to reply. I'll have to stop my heart for a few minutes…."

At that, Elena's eyes widened. "You can't do that!"

"It's nothing I haven't done before, Elena. I'll be okay…"

"No, Bonnie, I won't let you…we'll find another way! What if you don't wake up?"

"Elena," Bonnie said firmly, "Trust me."

* * *

Bonnie requested candles and even though Elena was scared, she obeyed and trusted that Bonnie knew what she was doing. The latter squeezed her hand as she laid on the bed, and chanted a spell.

"It is important-Don't touch me when I'm in trance. And If I'm not awake in five minutes, you have to bring me back,"She told Elena. "I'm using your voice as a guide. Keep talking to me softly so that I won't confuse both worlds-Your voice will help me recognize this world from their world. If I'm not awake in five minutes, it is important that you'll pound on my heart as if you're giving me CPR. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes…" But not really.

"I'll be ok, Elena." She said, and after a few more words in Latin, she closed her eyes.

* * *

_Bonnie walked around in a very bright place, her connection to the witch getting stronger. Then, a single word came to her mind._

_Greta._

_The witch's name was Greta._

_"Greta?" Bonnie called out, "It's Bonnie Bennett. Please help me."_

_Dead silence._

"_The entire human race is in danger. Please.__ I don't have much time!"_

_Silence._

"_I don't blame you if you were forced to work with Klaus but please."_

"_I was forced to, yes," A voice whispered, and then Bonnie turned to find a woman in her 30s, with long brown hair._

"_He would've killed my daughter if I didn't."__ The other witch whispered._

_"I understand that, but you have to help me now, please." __Bonnie urged. "Everybody on our side is in danger, including the witches. You have to help me!"_

_"I can't. The seal cannot be opened unless there is the agreement__. I'm sorry."_

_"There has to be a spell to reverse it…please."_

_"You'll have to kill Klaus," Greta said. "In order for them to be free." She then looked at Bonnie. "However, I can keep the seal open for two minutes, enough for some people to go out. I am powerful enough to keep them alive without the agreement, however I can't save everyone. It's limited to fifteen people."_  
_"How can he be killed?" Bonnie asked, "There are so many people…"_

_"Klaus is powerful," Greta said, "He won't be killed by a wooden stake. He has to be killed by the power of magic and a guardian's power."_

_"You mean Elena."_

_"Yes."_

_"And once he's dead?"_

_"The humans trapped here will all be free."_

* * *

Bonnie felt herself pushed out of the Other Side and she found Elena and Damon next to her.

"3 minutes exactly," Elena said. "Are you ok?"

"Yes." Bonnie said. "Greta can help set free fifteen people. She'll lift the seal tonight."

"But if there is no agreement from Klaus they'll die…" Elena realized.

"She said she can help with that. Magic. But only 15 people-the other's still need Klaus's 'permission'," She scoffed at the word.

"We'll send Ellie," Elena said, "We can all get out, and we can work with the founding families to find this place again. We can save the remaining people and help take down Klaus!"

"It is up to us witches and your powers to kill Klaus, Elena," Bonnie said, "Once we're out we can help the council. What I don't understand why you didn't do this earlier…I mean, you're not marked, so technically you don't need Klaus's 'agreement' to get out…"

"We thought it might be one of his tricks to kill us," Elena said solemnly.

Bonnie nodded in understanding. "That won't be the case tonight. We'll do this."

"You know, once a girl here told me that there were some vampires who let their humans go out," Elena said as she rested her head on Damon's shoulder. "I know that not every vampire is mean, Damon. If they were nice enough to inform Klaus to let their humans enjoy the sun for a few minutes, I think that they have an ounce of humanity in them. Just like you."

"I'm not human, Elena," Damon said quietly, but the tone of his voice made Elena look at him questioningly. He pushed her away from him, gently, but he still took her by surprise. "I wish I was but I'm not."

"What's wrong, Damon?" Elena asked him, concerned. "Why are you acting this way?"

"Because this is all my fault, Elena. I shouldn't have come in your life. I can't do this anymore…I'll have to set you free."

"You're talking to me as if you were keeping me against my will!" Elena said, running after him and holding his face. "I chose this too, Damon. I chose to be with you. Why do you doubt yourself? Why do you doubt us?"

"Because this is wrong," Damon said, reaching out to touch her face. "A girl like you shouldn't live with a dead man. She shouldn't have to live in the shadows or with bloodbags alongside a carton of milk."

Elena giggled at that. "You can't scare me off, Damon. I chose to be with you. We can live normally, like any other couple. You don't have to change for me, not more than you already did. And what is this living in the shadows crap, Damon?"

"You don't realize that I can put you in danger. We'd have to move every couple of years, because I won't age. Vampires who want revenge against me can use you to hurt me, and most of all, Elena, I cannot give you a family."

"I don't care about that!" She raised her voice a little now. "I'd sacrifice everything for you Damon. And who knows, perhaps I'll turn one of these days."

"Don't go saying things like that Elena!" Damon yelled in frustration. "You can't possibly want that. You can't kill yourself for me."

"I want you! Only you, nothing else and nobody else."

"Maybe you don't right now, but you will when you grow older and you want children."

"I want _you_," Elena repeated sternly. "You can't do this to me, Damon. I love you. I chose to be with you because I love you. I've fallen in love with you and you can't leave me."

He closed his eyes, welcoming her embrace, and all of his doubts suddenly started to fade. He loved her, and she loved him too-She chose to be with him. He wasn't doing anything wrong.

"Do you want to know something that I never told you before, Elena?" He asked her softly.

Elena nodded.

"When your parents died…" He gulped soundly, knowing that this was going to open her wounds. "I…It was me who saved you from the car crash."

At that moment, all that Elena could do was stare at him. She turned pale and for a moment Damon regretted saying the words as she raised a hand to her mouth, covering it.

"Oh my God…"

"I saved you because I couldn't let you die. You've been making me feel human things ever since I saw you, Elena. You're my light and my hope. I love you so much, which is why I can't see you get hurt."

She sobbed in his embrace and he rested his chin on her head.

"I'll get you out of here, Elena. I promise."

* * *

**I hope you like it.**

**Lots of action next chapter! Stay tuned! Please help me reach 400!**


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